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SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 



BY MRS. STEELE, 

AUTHOE or HEROINES OF SACBEO H1ST0R-*. 



*'' I write that which I have seen,"— Le Baum. 



NEW YORK: 

JOHN S. TAYLOR, AND CO 
(Brick Church Chapel, 145 Nassau-St.) 

1841, 




F^ 






Entered according to the Act of Congress, intbeyear 1841, by 

JOHN S. TAYLOR & CO. 

in tlie Clerk's Office of the District Coiu-t for the Southern 

District of New York- 



PREFACE. 

'tfiis little book assumes to be nothing more than a 
note book of all that passed before the observation of 
the author, during a summer tour of four thousand 
miles, through the great lakes ; the prairies of Illi- 
nois ; the rivers Illinois, Mississippi, and Ohio ; and 
over the Alleghany mountains to New York. Since 
she has been ' urged by friends to print,' the author 
has added to her notes and letters, some little infor- 
mation regarding the western States, in hopes her 
book may be af use to future tourists and emigrants, 
who will here find an account of the distances, pricesy 
and conveyances, throughout the author's route. 
Anxious to guard against errors, information acquired 
upon the road, has been compared with the best 
Gazeteers, Accuracy, in a newly settled country, is 
difficult, and accounts differ much ; still the author 
trusts the traveller who may honor her by taking her 
book for his guide, will not be far mis-led. ? 

J^ew Yorky May, IS^L 



A SUMMER JOURNE'V 



"I write that which I have seen." — Le Baum. 



T 



LETTER I, 



June 14tb, 1840. 

My dear E. — The variety of scenes which have 
passed before my eyes since I last beheld you, and the 
crowd of new ideas acquired thereby, have not obli- 
terated your Shaksperian adieu from my mind: 

" Think on thy Proteus, when thou haply see'st 
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travels," 

were your last words — in consequence of this desire, 
I hereby send you all I deem note-worthy. With 
what delight did I find myself once more upon the 
Hudson ! Although so often seen, to me it is still 
lovely, for custom cannot stale its beauties. I pass 
along this river as through a gallery of cabinet pic- 
tures. The sunny vista and romantic a:len of Gains- 

2 



"14 A SUMMEU JOITRNEY IN THE "WEST. 

borough — the frowning cliff and murderous dell of 
Rosa — the Dutch cottage of Teniers — the Italian villa 
and graceful trees of classic Weir — cattle, as if just 
sprung from out a Berghman and grouped upon the 
shore, or standing ' in the cool translucent wave,' their 
'loose train of amber-dropping hair,' not being 'braided 
with lilies,' but occupied in flapping the flies away ! — 
all these, and many more are placed side by side be- 
fore me as I float alono-. 

You have never seen this famed stream, and I w'ill 
therefore describe it to you minutely. Mine will not 
be ' notes by the w'ay,' nor ' crayoning,' nor ' pencil 
sketches,' but perfect Daguerrotype likenesses of all I 
see. 

With a bold rush our steamboat was free of the 
wharf and out into the stream. Ascend now to the 
upper deck with me and you will obtain a fine view 
of the city of New York and its noble bay. Upon 
one side lies the city with its mass of houses, churches, 
and vessels 5 beyond is Long Island. Observe what 
a pretty back ground is Stateii Island: its numerous 
white buildings show well against the green elevated 
ridge behind them ; then turn your eye to the oppo- 
site side and you will behold New Jersey, with its 
pretty city, and villages, and churches j and in the 
center of all this is the glassy water covered with 
steamboats, brigs, ships of war, and vessels of all 
sizes, and dotted wdth pretty fortress islets. Ho- 
boken with its neat church and romantic colonade 
are passed, and the rugged cliffs of Weehawken rise 
upon our left as we ascend the river. These cliffs are 
the commencement of the Palisade rocks, which soon 
retreat into the interior to arise a^ain above. Bull'^ 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 15 

Ferry (worthy of a better name,) next appears, with 
Fort Lee, pretty rural retreats, whose white houses, 
churches, and fences, are pencilled as with white 
chalk upon the river's green and sloping bank. 

From the east side, turret and spire have passed 
away, and villages and country seats adorn the shores 
until we arrive at Spuyten Duyvel creek, rendered 
famous by the redoubtable Van Corlear, who swore he 
Avould pass it in spigt den Dayvelj and also as being 
the boundary line of Manhattan Island. To a hasty 
observer, the shores beyond this are as lonely and 
wild as if we were hundreds of miles from any city ; 
but if you will fix your eyes steadily upon the wood- 
lands which line the river banks, you will catch 
glimpses, between the trees, of Grecian portico, 
Yankee piazza, or Dutch gable, telling of many a 
summer haunt of the city's 'tired denizen.' 

Upon the west side the Palisade commences, a 
perpendicular Avail, or to speak more scientifically, 
'a columnar escarpement, ' from three to eight hun- 
dred feet high, and two miles broad, thus continuing 
for twenty miles along the New Jersey side of the 
river. As you dabble in geology, I must not forget 
to tell you these rocks are of the trap formation, 
passing into green stone. Under it are layers of 
slate, sandstone, and grey limestone, much of which 
is used in the city and its neighborhood. Sloops were 
lying at the foot of the rocks, as we passed, taking in 
their load of sandstone flagging, or roofing slate for 
the use of the citizens. These sloops, which carry 
masts sixty or seventy feet high, show the height of 
these cliffs, as when seen anchored below them they 
appear like skiffs. A few stone-cutters have erected 



16 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

cottages upon the rocks, which might be taken for 
children's houses. Shrubbery is seen in some spots, 
while a green fringe of trees is waving from the sum- 
mit. These rocks have stood the brunt of that mighty 
torrent which wise men tell us once rushed over the 
country from the north-west, as if some lake had 
burst its barrier — for bowlders washed from the Pali- 
sades are seen in various parts of Manhattan Island 
and Long Island. To the alluvium brought down by 
this flood, we are indebted for Manhattan Island and 
Staten Island. What a pity 'wise saws' are out of 
fashion, or I could lengthen my epistle by telling 
what ' modern instances ' these islands are, of the 
'good' brought down by 'ill winds.' 

As we are both now tired of these Palisades, it is 
verjr pretty of them to retire as they do, into the 
country, making a fine back ground to the rich land 
lying upon the river's bank, adorned with several pic- 
turesque townlets. These are Nyack, reclining upon 
a verdant slope ; Haverstraw, nestled under a high, 
green promontory ; and Tappan, which ought to have 
been first mentioned. This is, however, but the 
' landing ' of the town of that name, lying a few miles 
in the interior, and whose 'heavens' ought to be 
'hung with black,' for the sake of the talented and 
unfortunate Andre, whose silver cord was here un- 
timely loosed. 

Tiie river swells out into a broad lake, called Tap- 
pan sea, which ought to be spelled Tap-pann Zee. 
The west side I have described, except that from 
these towns the ground rises into an elevated green 
ridge of Haverstraw, and then descends gracefully to 
the water, ending in a low level spot, covered with a 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 17 

rich velvet sward, dotted with groups of oaks, and 
evergreens, among which a silver rivulet winds its 
happy way. This is very prettily called Grassy Point. 
Upon our right hand we have smooth, lawn-like 
slopes, over which the buildings of Yonkers, Tarry- 
town, and Dobbs' Ferry (harmonious sounds,) are 
straggling, or reposing in graceful groups upon every 
gentle swell. Sing Sing, with its long range of prisons, 
is before us j so called, I suppose, that the inhabitants 
of those abodes may have something cheerful about 
them. It is a lovely spot commanding a beautiful 
view of the river scenery — so lovely that I am almost 
tempted to be wicked^ that I may be ordered to reside 
there, and sit like a Naiad sing singing upon a 

" diamond rock, 
Sleeking her soft alluring lock." 

That is all very well, you will say, when the rock is 
already cut out for you to sit upon 5 but where one is 
obliged to hew out one's own rock, as do these woful 
sing-singers, it would be as well to abandon the place 
to the heroes who there do congregate. They quarry 
a white granular limestone which is used as building 
material. The antique Dutch church looks very well, 
seated upon an eminence ; and Wolfert's Roost, with 
its Dutch points and gables, the residence of the cele- 
brated Irving^ is another interesting object upon this 
shore. 

Look behind you quickly, if you would take a last 
farewell of Staten Island, whose dark outline has, until 
now, filled up the back ground, although we are thirty 
miles from it. As we turn towards the narrow outlet 
between Stoney and Verplanck's Points, the Palisades 
are sweeping around to the east, and rapidly shoving 



18 A SUMMER JOURINEY IN THE WEST. 

in their side scene between us and the Island. Now 
it is gone, and the Narrows are fast being covered, 
through which you might, if your eyes could see so 
far, descry the green ocean and its gallant barks. 
The river now seems a lake behind us, upon whose 
bright bosom a fleet of vessels, like a flock of birds, 
are skimming, and ducking, or reposing upon the 
water. Two Points defend the entrance to the High- 
lands : Stony Point on the west, a bold rocky promon- 
tory, formed of fine horneblend granite rock, and sur- 
mounted by a light-house, Verplanck's on the east 
presents a small village, containing a pretty fanciful 
hotel, and some lordly dwellings upon the elevated 
ground above. These are now behind us, and we find 
ourselves in the Grand Pass of the Highlands. Beau- 
tiful creations they are — high, green cones, sweeping 
gradually down to the water's edge, where they some- 
times appear a verdant precipice nearly two thousand 
feet high J or projecting their spurs into the river, and 
crossing each other so that the Hudson must wind 
hither and thither to follow the tortuous path between 
them. Various lights give new beauties to these hills. 
It is pleasant Avhen the sun shines broad and bright 
upon them, to penetrate with your eye their green 
recesses, or endeavor to distinguish whether those 
bushes on the summit are indeed trees or no ; and 
again when a cloud passes, running rapidly over the 
surface, the effect is very beautiful. As we were near 
the centre of the Pass, the sun was obscured, and a 
heavy shower clothed every thing with gloom. — 
Through the sombre light they seemed like giant 
mastadon or mammoth of olden times, couching down 
upon each side, musing upon the changes which have 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 19 

taken place upon this diluvial earth. The rain has 
ceased, and the mist has all retired into the mountain 
caves, save on one spot near the summit, where it 
lowering stands, like one of Ossian's ghosts, whose 
wont it is, he tells us, to ' fly on clouds, and ride on 
winds.' Or, it may be the wandering spirit of some 
red warrior who has perished on these shores, and 
now haunts the scene of his former triumphs. 

Upon a promontory jutting out from the river, are 
situated the Military Schools of West Point. It is a 
summer's day well spent to ramble over that pretty 
spot. If you care not for the Schools, nor to see the 
orderly young cadets, you may admire the monument 
dedicated to Kosciusco, or walk in his garden as they 
call the spot where he used to ' sit on rocks' and muse 
upon the sweets of Liberty — or you may climb up 
to that ruined fortress crowning the summit of the 
mountain which overhansfs the Point. From thence 
you have a fine view of all the rugged, cultivated, wild, 
adorned and varied country for miles around — and of 
that broad silver stream bearing upon its waters many 
a graceful vessel. The dusky peaks and dells, and 
undulations of the several mountains around are here 
distinctly seen. 

The Dunderberg, where is the thunder's home, rai- 
ses its frowning head at the right, followed by Bare 
Mountain, Sugar Loaf, Bull's Hill, Crow's Nest, But- 
ter Hill, Breakneck Hill, and many others bearing de- 
signations equally euphonius. Among these hills, 
beside West Point, are many spots famous in the his- 
tory of our country. Do not be afraid, I am not go- 
ing to begin ' In the year 17 — ' nor tell of the iron 
chain which bound Anthony by the nose to the Fort 



20 A SUMMER JOTTRNEY IN THE WEST. 

opposite 5 nor arouse your indignation by pointing to 
the chimneys of Arnold's house ; nor make you sad 
by speaking again of Andre ; nor arouse your patri- 
otism by relating the deeds here done in times of old. 
Let the past be by-gones ; and turn to the present 
whose sun is shining down upon the pretty village of 
Cold Spring opposite to us, and upon that romantic 
white chapel dedicated to 'Our Lady of Cold Spring,' 
which is so tastefully perched upon a rock washed by 
the Hudson's waters. At West Point is a depot of 
fossil enfusoria, and sulphur has also been found. 
Shooting out of the Highland Pass, we find ourselves 
in a broad expanse of water, presenting some of the 
prettiest views to be seen upon the river. Seated 
upon the elevations of the left bank are many towns ; 
Newburgh being the most conspicuous as it is the 
largest: and it is built upon a high cliff of argillaceous 
slate, thus displaying its numerous houses and churches 
to advantage. The opposite shore presents a beau- 
tiful green mountain wall, the highest peak of which 
is 1689 feet above the river. At its foot reposes the 
smiling town of Fishkill. 

I must not linger thus by the way. Remember I 
have four thousand miles to travel and the summer is 
passing. Imagine then to yourself a broad and beau- 
tiful river, skirted with cultivated country with often 
a mountainous back ground, and rich with ' summer's 
green emblazoned field' — and wafting upon its waters 
river-craft of all forms, from the lazy whaler returning 
after a four year's cruise, to the little pleasure yacht. 
There are many towns on this river, one of which, 
Poughkeepsie, is rendered famous as being the place 
where Washington, Hamilton, Jay and Chancellor 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 21 

Livingston met, to compose the Constitution of the 
United States. The city of Hudson is agreeably situ- 
ated upon the summit of a slaty clifi^ commanding a 
view of the Catskill mountains, and the town of Athens 
on the opposite bank of the river. Imagine, scat- 
tered like gems upon the borders of the stream, pretty 
villas of Grecian, Gothic and nondescript styles, the 
homes of the Livingstons, Dewitts, Ellisons, Ver- 
plancks. Van Renselears, Schuylers, and other gentle- 
men of taste and wealth. I saw nothino" of those 
Dutch elves and fays which the genius of Irving has 
conjured up, among the dells and rocks of the Hud- 
son — those creatures are unfortunately out of fashion ; 
and one might as well look for them as for high heeled 
shoes. Perhaps they will come in with the ancient 
modes. If I thought so, I would immediately order 
hoop, train, cushion, buckle, high heel, and all the odi- 
ous costume which rendered my ancestresses so hide- 
ous. Alas I fear the 'mincing dryades' with high 
crowned hats, are all departed — and no more — 

" On the tawny sands and shelves, 

Trip the pert fairies, and the dapper elves." 

Albany appears at great advantage seated upon a side 
hill, presenting a mass of imposing buildings surmounted 
by many a tall steeple, and crowned by the Capitol 
and City Hall, from whose gilded dome the evening 
sunbeams are brightly streaming. 

I have said nothing about my gallant bark, nor my 
company — the first a large and rapid steamboat, ar- 
ranged with satin cushioned and canopied saloons — 
the latter a mixture of all countries and sexes. 

But we are at the wharf and I must put up my pa- 
pers. Adieu. 



LETTER IK 

June 15th, 1840. 
My dear E. — We shall of course remain in Albany 
during the Sabbath for the pleasure of worshipping 
that kind Friend, who has showered upon us the bless- 
ings we are now enjoying. In the morning we walked 

to the church of a Baptist clergyman, Mr. W h, 

who has been long celebrated as a very interesting 
preacher. This church is a handsome marble struc- 
ture, surmounted by a dome, and adorned by a colo- 
nade of pillars in front. The lecture room is below, 
and we ascended to the chapel, a neat apartment with 
a good pulpit and commodious seats. Mr. W. sprang 
from an obscure station, being a mechanic, and there- 
fore could only obtain a common education. What 
he is, he has made himself, or rather was made by the 
Holy Spirit ; for we all know how religion refines and 
elevates the intellect of man, as well as his affections. 
After his conversion he rapidly improved, and now 
one is astonished at the beauty and purity of his lan- 
guage. He is not an animated preacher, nor does his 
forte lie in arousing a sinner ; but he shows forth the. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 23 

'truth and beauty of religion, and expounds the Gos 
pel doctrines with a power and grace, and clearness, 
\vhich fascinate the hearer. This church is always 
crowded by the elite of Albanian society of all sects, 
and by the strangers who are in the city. 

In the afternoon we attended service in an old Dutch 
church, one of the oldest in the city. It is built of 
brick, and boasts two spires which give it a singular 
appearance. The interior is richly fitted up, with 
gilded chandeliers and many comforts and elegant 
"conveniences. Here we found ourselves surrounded 
by the old Dutch families, whose fathers emigrated 
from Holland and settled themselves here ; among 
them Avere the family of the Patroon. I looked around 
with pleasure upon the sober benevolent faces of the 
congregation, for I have always felt a very kindly sen- 
timent toward our Dutch brethren. The peaceful, 
even tenor of their lives ; their contented spirit, their 
industry and integrity entitle them to our most ' gol- 
den opinions.' The Rev. Mr. Y ,who officiates 

here, is an able, solid, preacher, well versed in the 
fundamental truths of Christianity. 

I am happy to say, the people of this city, are a 
very moral and religious people. This applies also to 
the ' first society' — which is a singularity in city his- 
tory. Beneath their influence theatres, dissipation, 
and extravagance cannot thrive. Already I seem to 
breathe freer, although so little distant from New 
York ; whose atmosphere, rank with foreign luxuries, 
is like a hot house over-crowded by fragrant exotics ; 
stifling us with perfume. 

We admire this city, which hoAvever we have only 
been able to see in our odds and ends of time. Its 



24 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

situation is very fine, it contains many handsome 
buildings, and it is generally kept very neat. A broad 
street through the centre leads up to a pretty square, 
surrounded by several imposing buildings — the Capitol 
occupies a fine position here ; it is of dark stone, with 
a neat marble portico supported by four ionic columns. 
The City Hall on the opposite side of the square, is a 
noble edifice, built of white marble from the quarries of 
Sing Sing, surmounted by a gilded dome. The view 
from this dome is beautiful; embracing the city at 
your feet — green hilly country, dotted with country 
seats and towns, among which is the city of Troy — 
the noble Hudson, winding among this country and a 
back ground of mountains. The new State Hall is a 
pretty building — the Exchange, is a huge mass of 
granite, giving one a great idea of the extent of busi- 
ness which requires so large a structure for its mer* 
chants. 

What a different place is this to the town which 
stood upon this two hundred years since. Then the 
only public building was a quaint old Dutch church, 
with painted glass windows ; adorned with the coat of 
arms of those ancient worthies, who, clad in trunk 
hose and steeple crowned hats, sat demurely below. 
There are but few of the ancient dutch houses left, 
and these are daily falling before the yankee spirit of 
improvement — which improvement by the bye some* 
times merely amounts to alteration. At this city is 
the southern termination of the great Erie Canal. 



LETTER III. 

• June 17th, 1840. 

My dear E. — We arose at an early hour, and after 
looking into some of the public buildings we returned 
to breakfast. This dispatched, we drove to the rail 
road depot, an ugly building at the head of State 
Street where we alighted and stood in a large barn- 
like apartment, among men and trunks and boys — the 
latter screaming, Albany Argus'— 'Evening Journal !' — 
and amonor all sorts of confusion, until we were seated 
in the cars. Soon however, two fine horses, to whom 
I render my thanks, dragged us out of the barn into 
open day-^up through the square, over the hill, to 
the Locomotive Depot, giving us on the way many 
sweet little back views of Albany and its pretty coun- 
try and river, and the round tops of the Catskills in 
the blue distance beyond. The snort of a steampipe, 
and perfume of grease and smoke, announced the 
vicinity of our locomotive ; and, as if to show off its 
paces, the engineer whirled the hideous thing back and 

forth before our — at least my — nil admirari eyes. 

3 



'26 A SUMMEK JOimNEY IN THE WEST. 

Our horses Avere unhitched — the engine attached, and 
away we rushed, leaving our fine steeds gazing after 
us with tears in their eyes, to see themselves outdone 
by a great tea-kettle. 

There are many pretty villas along the road; 
breathing places for the heated citizens below, which 
I would describe to you ; but dashing along at sixteen 
miles an hour speed I can only catch a glimpse of 
white pillar and portico when the next minute we are 
three miles away. You must expect no description of 
the country when I am on a rail road, for the scenery 
is all blurred, like a bad lithograph. I only saw 
groups of pine trees rushing past and several bright 
dots which I suppose meant wild flowers when we 
came in sight of Schenectady, an antique dutch town. 
Before entering it I was struck by the vision of two 
immense tarred ropes walking deliberately beside our 
car, and discovered we were upon an inclined plain, 
descending which, cars of stone were brought up at 
the other end of our ropes. Our steam horse was 
once more exchanged for one of flesh and we set off 
upon a jog trot. Near the city we passed a canal 
basin in which lay several canal boats, for the Erie 
Canal passes through here. We entered the city, 
crossed the end of a long street filled with bright 
looking shops, where people and horses were frisking 
about in the morning air, — when another large depot 
received us in its barn-like expanse. The Ballston 
and Saratoga train entered at the other end, and you 
may imagine the charming confusion as the people of 
both trains jumped in and out the carriages, marched 
and counter marched until they had settled down into 
their several seats. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST.. 27 

W^e were not suffered long to look upon this pleas- 
ant picture, for at 9 o'clock we were on our way to 
Utica. We could see but little of Schenectady while 
passing through it, but it looked well at a distance. 
Upon an eminence above the town stands Union 
College a fine building of grey stone. 

Schenectady, is an Indian name spelt by them 
Schan-naugh-ta-da J meaning 'the Pine Plains,' a fit- 
ting name, for the pine is universal here. This town 
has been the property of many different nations — the 
Mohawk, the French, the Dutch, and the English hav- 
ing each in succession ruled its destinies. 

After leaving the town, we entered at once the 
glorious valley of the Mohawk which runs nearly 
westerly, and whose course we followed eighty miles 
to Utica. There may be lovelier vailies in the world, 
but certainly not another like this, for it is unique in 
its kind. Imagine a long green valley covered with 
rich farms — through its centre a bright transparent 
river, having a rail road on one bank and a canal on 
the other ; while a range of hills frame in the picture 
on each side. So straight is this valley, that canal, 
river, and rail road run parallel, and within sight of 
each other nearly all the way. 

It was one of June's sweetest morningfs when we 
passed the shores of the pretty Mohawk, and I was 
never weary of gazing down into its smiling face, as 
we glided along ; or of watching the lazy canal boat 
dragging its rich freight at the foot of those soft green 
hills opposite ; or, of peeping out the coach at the 
rugged cliffs, which reared their bare heads far above 
our road. 

There are many little villages on this route, where 



28 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

we stopped to refresh ourselves, or to fill the engine. 
The first was Amsterdam a small Dutch settlement. 
Near this place stands a handsome stone edifice which 
is renowned in the annals of New York as the resi- 
dence of Grey Johnson and his brother Sir William, 
the dreamer. At these towns there are hotels, and at 
other spots refreshment houses, built at the road side, 
where you are allowed a few minutes to rest. You 
are shown into large rooms set out with long narrow 
tables, bearing loads of coffee, oysters, cakes, , pies, 
fruit lemonade, etc., — you pile your plate with good 
things, stir around your coffee or tea, when tingle 1 
goes the bell 'all aboard!' rings in your ears, and you 
have just time to put your 25 cents into the attend- 
ants hands and yourself in a car when puff! and away 
you go. Some of these towns are pretty, as St Johns, 
Fonda, Canajoharie, Herkimer, and ^many others. — 
What hungry people these travellers are ! at every 
refreshment station the tables were crowded and at 
the signal they rushed into the cars each with a cake 
or pie, or apple, to finish at his leisure. We may say 
with Horace, 

' Ajt Fundi we refused to bait' 

One would imagine he was speaking of our little Fonda, 
which is here pronounced as Horace spells it. It was 
named after the celebrated Col. Fonda. 

Fort Plain is a pretty place on the other bank of 
the river -, here I longed to ' stay one turn' to ham- 
mer a specimen from the encrinal lime-rock which is 
found there. The little falls of the Mohawk is a de- 
lightful place. The river here forces its way through a 
rocky country and falls over successive ledges of rock 
in pretty cascades. The beauty of the scene does 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 29 

not consist in altitude, but in number and variety of 
these saults ; and the foaming river rushing over its 
rocky bottom or winding around its tiney islets, and 
in the towerino; cliffs around it. The villaore is seated 
upon each side of the river, connected by a handsome 
marble aqueduct leading to the canal basin, and by 
a neat bridge for carriages. The scene as we ap- 
proached was very pretty. You see a frame work of 
rugged cliffs, enclosing a noisy rushing river with 
numerous cascades, its shores crowned with white 
buildings, and spanned by a noble bridge ; the canal 
boat is seen creeping at the foot of the hills opposite, 
while the steeples, court house and hotels, are peep- 
ing from the trees which cover the sloping bank at 
our right. Perched upon every jutting point and 
grouped around the shores were many shanties occu- 
pied by the children of Erin who have kindly volun- 
teered to make our rail roads and canals. 

When the train stopped before the hotel, instead of 
the usual sound of ' Newspapers,' or ' Nuts,' or ' Ap- 
ples to sell,' I heard young voices asking if we wanted 
some diamonds ! Surprised, I looked out and beheld 
several little girls holding up small boxes containing 
Quartz Crystals. We of course became purchasers, 
and found among them some very perfect and pure. 
' Where do you find these 1 ' I asked. ' Oh, all 
among the cliffs ma'am,' she answered in the Hibernian 
tongue — ' and if its stop ye wud, I'd show ye to the 
diamond holes where I often dig up the ful of my 
pocket.' We observed this was a large town, having 
several churches, dwellings, a handsome court house, 
and many large manufacturers. Geologists tell us 
this was one shore of that lake of which the high- 



30 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

lands were the southern boundary. How it came to 
wear through these hills and run away to the sea no 
one can ever know. The rocks here are limestone, 
principally ; but I observed there was with it some 
fine granite. There was an old man among our pas- 
sengers, who had lived here ' when all this was a wil- 
derness.' He amused us with some stories of past 
times ; one of which I think interesting enough to tell 
you. Here it is to fill up the page. 

During the War of Independence there were two 
brothers, who, although they were brothers, could not 
think alike ; they joined opposite sides in the war. It 
happened while the Division under Gen. Herkimer 
was destitute of arms, ammunition and clothing, he 
heard of the approach of the English troops. Fight 
he could not ; fly he would not ; and he was seeking 
some stratagem to better his situation, when fortu- 
nately, for him, the English brother having strayed too 
near his camp was taken up as a spy. The brothers, 
who had been long separated met once more ; but it 
was a bitter meeting, for one was a prisoner and con- 
demned to die. In spite of their different sentiments 
they loved each other. The prisoner earnestly en- 
treated his brother, who was the General's Aid, to use 
all the influence in his power to save his life. The 
Aid was conscious he could not succeed unless he 
made the ' worse appear the better reason ;' for his 
brother had been fairly captured as a spy, and in con- 
sequence of some bloody deeds of the enemy, his life 
was to be forfeited. With a heavy heart and darkened 
brow he entered the General's tent. 

' I know what you would ask ere you speak' said 
his commander.' ' I have expected you and have de. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 31 



termined upon my course. You come to ask your 
brother's life — it is your's upon one condition.' 
' Name it ! I am not afraid to agree to any thing 
my General may propose !' 'I require you to go over 
to the enemy as a deserter — tell them exactly of our 
numbers , for I have learnt they do not imagine we 
are so strong ; conceal the state of our arms and pro- 
visions ; and if I am not much mistaken, they will im- 
mediately withdraw when they know how large is our 
force. You are then to find your way back again as 
you can. When you return your brother shall be 
free.' 

For one moment the Aid hesitated. To appear as 
a deserter — to act the spy — to deceive even an enemy, 
was adverse to his open noble nature — there was also 
danger of discovery when returning, which would 
lead to disgrace and death. 

' Well young man! what is your determination V 
asked the General. ' I will go, and trust in heaven 
and in you.' He sought the enemy's camp, was im- 
prisoned as a spy — but his feigned tale procured his 
liberation. The enemy retreated before so large 
a force, which they could have conquered if they had 
known their distressed condition. It was many 
months ere the Aid rejoined his General. Ilis brother 
was released, and after a parting full of sorrow they 
separated never to meet again. 

We arrived at XJtica at three o'clock, and repaired 
immediately to Baggs's hotel. Here we found an ex- 
cellent dinner, just ready, which to hungry travellers 
is a cheering sight. As I promised to put down our 
expenses, we pay $3,75 each, from Albany to Utica, 
eighty miles. We here concluded to leave the train. 



32 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

and spend a few days at the celebrated Trenton falls. 
After partaking a very nice dinner at Bagg's hotel, we 
entered a neat carriage for Trenton falls, 14 miles 
north of Utica. The drive is a pretty one, and up 
hill all the way. We arrived at dark at a small inn in 
a forest, and were obliged to defer our visit to the 
cascade until the next morning. 

After breakfast we walked out to visit the falls. 
Our way was through a deep forest breathing forth 
sweet fragrance in the early morning air. Suddenly, 
in the midst of the woods, we found ourselves upon 
the brink of a precipice, one side of a narrow chasm two 
hundred feet deep, while, too far below to be heard, 
a mountain torrent was rushing and foaming over the 
rock. A range of five ladder stairways led down the 
steep, — and as we thus hung over the water, we felt 
very much like some of Shakespear's samphire ga- 
therers, and thought what a ' dreadful trade' was 
hunting waterfalls. Safely down, we found a narrow 
ravine, so filled with the roaring torrent, that there 
was scarcely room for a pathway beside it. Part of 
the way a chain was inserted into the rock that we 
might, by holding upon it, pass the boiling whirlpool, 
if our nerves are strong enough to command our 
hands and feet — so scrambling, climbing, swinging, we 
contrived to reach the uppermost cascade, which is 
two miles from the last one. This stream, called the 
West Canada Creek, falls down a deep ravine over 
successive ledges of rock, in six small cascades of 
great beauty. The highest is only fifty feet high. The 
sides of the ravine are precipitous, and covered with 
the beautiful foilage of numerous trees. Among them 
are many evergreen trees — of these I remarked the 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 33 

Stately white pine, which grows over one hundred feet 
high and perfectly straight j the red pine, with its dark 
green leaves, and yellow cones ; the black spruce and 
the lofty birch. The rocks are slate and transition 
lime stone of the silnrian series, abounding with petri- 
faction, of which many are perfect trilobites. Quartz 
crystals are also found here in great beauty and pro- 
fusion. This place has been the scene of some 
tragic events — one of them most pitiable. A young 
girl sat out upon a pleasure tour, accompanied by her 
mother, father, and affianced husband. They came to 
this place, no warning spirit pressing them back, no 
drear omen warning them away, and no dream or pre 
sentment checking their steps. Gaily they descended 
the stairs, and clambered the rocks — the lover with 
the hand of his betrothed in his j the father and mo- 
ther behind. Being thus led along-, did not accord 
with her playful spirit, and telling him she could take 
care of herself, she in an evil moment withdrew her 
hand. His charge to be careful was answered by 
smiling asseverations of her sure-fo'^tedness 5 he turn- 
ed with another admonition and she was gone ! Where 
is she 1 He looks in every direction. She has hid 
herself in play ; he calls ; no answer but the torrents 
roar ; she has rejoined her parents j he turns towards 
them and sees them quietly reposing together upon 
a rock. His pallid look — his wildness, as rooted to 
the spot, he gazes upon them, tells them the tale of 
woe, soon bitterly confirmed by her pretty bonnet of 
straw, which was at that moment whirled past their 
feet. Oh, the agony of those hearts as they stood 
beside that dark torrent, away from all help, and pow- 
erless to save their beloved one. The guide was des- 



34 A SUBIMER JOURKEY IN THE WEST. 

patched to the village for help, but not until three 
days after was she found a mile below ; her tender 
form havinof been thus far carried over rocks and 
whirlpools. 

Another family party came to view these scenes. A 
tender girl of eleven years was for security consigned 
to the valets arms. One false step plunged him into 
the torrent — he struggled to the shore, but the parent's 
pretty fondling was lost to them in life. The body 
was the next day found. 

As I stood upon the slippery rock, while these 
events were floating through my memory, their scenes 
pointed out to me by the guide ; the place lost all its 
beauty, and the dashing torrent seemed some huge 
monster, seeking whom he might suck beneath his 
horrid depths. I grew nervous, and much to my 
companions surprise^, begged him to return. He, re- 
joicing in the fresh country air, and released from the 
city's dust, ran over the rocks with, to me, an alarm- 
ing quickness, and I turned to depart. Why these 
beloved ones should be thus snatched away from their 
fond relatives , taken from their homes to find their 
death in this wild spot,, is to us unknown. He who com- 
manded this, has purposes, to,, us unscrutable ; perhaps 
it was to read a lesson to those who hear the tale, to 
teach them the uncertain hold they have upon life, and 
all its pleasures, and to fear that power which can in 
an unlooked for moment, bear them from life to eter- 
nity. There are hundreds every season who stand 
upon this spot, and hear this story, and the heart 
which is not affected by it must be as the hearts of 
the petrified animals around them. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 35 

We spent several days here, riding and walking 
among the romantic scenery. 

The village of Trenton Falls is a small one, con- 
taining a few shops, and cottages and two churches, 
one of which is quite pretty. The ride towards Utica 
is very beautiful. The ground descends on each side 
to the Mohawk valley, and while our road wound 
down this side, we had the whole slope of the other 
side before our eyes, covered with orchards and fields, 
and dotted with villages. The town of Clinton with 
Hamilton college, stands upon elevated ground, while, 
below, at the river's brink is spread the city of Utica. 
Here we spent a day looking about its streets and 
shops. The ground slopes down to the river, near 
which are the business streets, while most of the 
dwelling houses are upon the more airy and elevated 
portion of the city. Genessee street is a fine wide 
avenue leading up the hill, lined upon each side with 
shops, hotels, churches, libraries, museums, &c. The 
canal is here crossed by a pretty bridge. The houses 
were substantially built, surrounded, many of them, by 
gardens, and appeared very comfortable residences. 
The business part of the city show rows of well built 
ware-houses, and were filled with people and carts 
passing to and fro, as if their trade was an active one 
and their city thriving. The Erie canal has brouglit 
much trade to this place, which now is O'ue of the 
most flourishing inland towns in the State. The ca- 
nal boats, stages, and rail trains which are constantly 
arriving and departing give a stirring appearance to 
the place. Religion, education, and literature, engage 
the attention of the inhabitants who support sixteen 
churches, and many seminaries and literary institu- 



36 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

tions. The population in 1835, was 10,183, to which 
now of course, several thousands must be added. It 
is situated in Oneida County, which was selected by 
the celebrated Baron Steuben as his retreat, and here 
he was buried. 

June '21st. — We left Utica to-day in the three o'clock 
train for Auburn. About four miles from the city we 
passed a small town called Whitesborough, a pretty 
place, with two churches, an academy, and a building 
called the Oneida Institute. There is also here a 
manual labor school. A large unfinished building just 
outside of Utica, we learned was to be a lunatic asylum, 
calculated to accommodate one thousand patients — 
God pity them. 

Several pretty towns lay upon our route : as Rome, 
Manlius, Canastola, etc. Sweet retreats from the con- 
fusion of a city without the solitude of the country. 
The canal and railroad which run through or near 
these towns present facilities for trade or travelling. 
Rome is a place of considerable importance, contain- 
ing five churches, a court house, academy, several 
shops and dwellings. The population, five years since, 
amounted to 4,800. When arrived at Syrac se we 
drove up to a large good looking stone building bear- 
ing the name of Syracuse House. There we stopped 
to take tea. This place is sixty miles from Utica : 
enjoys considerable trade, but is still in its teens, 
having arisen since the canal passed through that part 
of the country. The Oswego canal joins the Erie 
here, which, with the salt works near, brings them 
much business. The population is 7,000. We ob- 
served in passing through it, several good churches, 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 37 

a pretty court house, substantial ware houses, numer- 
ous shops and dwelHngs, with a lyceum and high 
school, so that it would seem the inhabitants ought to 
be wealthy, refined, and well educated. The salt 
springs are at Salina, one mile and a half from Syra- 
cuse, where there are eighty manufactories of this 
material. These salt springs flow from beds of slate, 
in some places two hundred feet thick. Among the 
layers are masses of vermicular rock, whose intersti- 
ces are supposed once to have been filled with salt. 
In this region of country are extensive gypsum beds 5 
water lime is also found in profusion. Sandstone, 
generally old red, and lime-stones, are the prevailing 
formations of the county. 

It was a beautiful evening when we left Syracuse. 
The sky, every where of a clear deep blue, paled 
gradually as it approached the west, where it was lost 
in a rich golden glow. The spires of the town behind 
us, reflected this brilliant hue, and the country as we 
passed, looked like one of Turner's one colored pic- 
tures. Onondaga lake with the pretty village repos- 
ing upon its shore, and the rich fields around it, were 
all touched with this golden pencil. The fields were 
strewn with salt vats, where the salt was undergoing 
evaporation, which were covered with low sheds, pro- 
bably taken oif in the morning, as it was now late 
Saturday afternoon, and this might have been to pro- 
tect them from the weather. It was quite dark when 
we reached Auburn. We left the cars at the railroad 
depot, and were provided with carriages to the Ameri- 
can Hotel. Here, large commodious bed rooms, and 
luxurious mattrasses, received your weary friends. I 

4 



38 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

lingered a while to write you the events of the day, 
but must now hasten to bid you — adieu. 

Sunday, June 22(/. — This morning we visited the 
first presbyterian churchy a large handsome edifice of 
brick. The pulpit was neat, and the seats and backs 
of the pews comfortably lined with horse hair. From 
Mr. Lathrop, the clergyman, we heard a very good 
discourse. The baptist and several other churches 
struck us as very neat and tasteful. The episcopal 
is in the gothic style, the interior lined with oak, and 
containing a handsome monument of Bishop Hobart, 
who died in this place. The hotels are showy handsome 
buildings, particularly the Auburn House, and the 
American, where we have taken up our quarters. This 
last is built of grey limestone from that neighborhood, 
and is surrounded by two rows of piazzas supported 
by handsome pillars. Opposite to it is the court 
house, quite a little palace in appearance. It is in the 
Parthenon form with a portico and high pillars, with 
the questionable addition of a large dome. From the 
cupola of an hotel, we obtained a charming view of 
this beautiful town and its environs. 'A palace and a 
prison on each hand,' I exclaimed as I glanced around, 
for behind was the grand court house, and in front arose 
the gloomy walls and towers of our famous State 
Prison. We saw from here the Theological Semi- 
nary, several handsome churches, hotels, elegant pri- 
vate dwellings, and streets of shops: while the out- 
side of the circle presented a charming and varied 
range of fields, and hills, and groves and streams. It 
seemed indeed the loveliest village of the plain around, 
and I expressed my surprise at seeing so large and 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 39 

well built a town ' so far off.' My companion told me 
it was too near the commencement of our journey to 
be astonished yet, I had Rochester, and Buffalo, and 
Cincinnati to see. This town has a population of 
nearly 7,000, I do not know exactly, but refer you to 
the Gazetteers. Those of our friends whom we visited 
gave the place a fine character for good society, and 
told us they enjoyed all the conveniences and elegan- 
ces of life, with good pastors and good books. In 
twenty-four hours any thing can reach them from 
New York. The prison presents an imposing appear- 
ance. It is built of dark stone with gothic ornaments, 
and consist of first, a high wall enclosing a large 
square, in the centre of which, rises a massive pile of 
building surmounted by a cupola. This building is 
arranged on three sides of a square, the centre 276, 
the other 242 feet long. In this are the eating rooms, 
hospital, chapel, and cells. The work shops are 
erected against the wall leaving a space for the keeper 
to walk around and gaze upon them through holes for 
the purpose, himself unseen. It is a dismal life these 
poor creatures lead, not only encarcerated from the 
world, but confined alone, and forbidden even to speak 
to a fellow prisoner when they meet at table or in the 
shops. They pass the life of La Trappe monks, ex- 
cept that it is against their will. At table they sit in 
roAvs with their faces one way, so that they cannot 
even see each other. However, this solitary and si- 
lent existence is said to be the best and most success- 
ful method of restraining and reforming the unhappy 
convict. In solitude they have time for reflection, and 
silence prevents corruption from their fellow crimi- 
nals. They have religious instruction, which has con- 



40 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

verted several. I cannot but think it a very efficient 
arrangement. The guilty man is stopped in his mad 
career, and solitude, silencCj and time for reflection, 
and religious counsel, are blessings placed in his 
path. In the mean while his bodily wants are attended 
to, he is supplied with nutritious food, well ventillated 
rooms, with nurses and physicians. He is obliged to 
work, and the fruits of his labor go to defray the pri- 
son expenses. We saw carriages, shoes, cabinet-ware, 
and various other articles made by them, offered for 
sale in the shops of the village.^ 



* 



* Sunday schools have been maintained ; and in pursuance of my re - 
commendation, the cell of each prisoner is always supplied with a volume 
of the School District Library. The measure was followed by a gratifying, 
improvement in the conduct of the prisoners. Many wearisome hours ot 
solitary time are beguiled, ; resolutions of repentance and reformation 
are formed, and the minds of the unhappy convicts, accustomed to the 
contemplation of virtue, and expanded by knowledge, are gradually pre- 
pared to resist the temptations which await them on their return to so- 
ciety. — Gov. Seward's Message, Jan. 1S41. 



LETTER IV. 

June, 23d, 1840. 

Dear E. — At ten o'clock, we entered the stage coach 
for Rochester, 70 miles distant. Among our passen- 
gers were two whom we had found extremely interest- 
ing, while journeying from Utica here — a clergyman 
of Massachusetts and his daughter. The Rev. N. 

T r, was about seventy, but extremely active, and 

very cheerful. His conversation was instructive and 
agreeable and of course in a pious vein, for he had 
occupied the pulpit 47 years, as had his ancestors for 
230 years back. There was such simplicity of heart 
about him, such piety, and kindness of manner, joined 
with elevated thought and deep learning that we lent 
a charmed ear to his discourse, during the whole 
day. 

Our route lay through an exquisitely beautiful 
country, covered with cultivated farms and varied 
with pretty lakes and towns. The first lake we saw 
was Cayuga lake. It is from one to four miles broad, 

and thirty-eight long. It is a bright sheet of water, 

4* 



' 4>2 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

lying in a deep valley and from its surface its shores 
gently rise, covered with a fine farming country. We 
crossed the end of the lake over a bridge more than 
a mile long. So pure was the water that as we 
looked down upon it, we plainly beheld the trout 
swiming beneath. 

Leaving the lake we passed through the pretty vil- 
lages of Waterloo and Seneca Falls. Here the dark 
green Seneca river rushes foaming over a bed of rock, 
in a fall of forty seven feet. There are several mills 
and manufactories upon its borders, and we observed 
several churches, an academy, and many shops. Sen- 
eca ! fair Seneca Lake, how can I describe the gentle 
beauties of thy varied shores, and of that pretty 
town which so adorns thy banks. This lake and its 
surrounding country, present a very lovely scene. 
There is nothing grand about the lakelet j you must 
not imagine it enclosed in the moutains of lakes George 
or Champlain ; the style is petite and delicate. Its 
Indian name was Jensequa, which has been modernised 
into its present appellation. It is a placid, transparent 
* sheet of water, of very great depth, 4 miles by 35 
long, and is said never to be frozen over in the coldest 
winter. The road lay around the end of the lake, 
from Avhence the eye wound over its fair pellucid 
waters to its cultivated shores, adorned with hand- 
some farm-houses, and country seats, and the mas- 
sive buldings of the college which occupies a com- 
manding elevation near the town — and the towers 
and steeples of the village peeping through the 
trees, as if to catch a glimpse of the waters be- 
low. We stopped at a small stage house in the lower 
and business end of the town, where we all descend- 



A SUMMER JOrRNEY IN THE WEST. 43 

ed from the stage while the operation of changing 
horses and stages was going on. A good sized par- 
lor furnished with gay landscape paper received the 
female part of the passengers, while the restless 
mankind part^ repaired to the shops, to inspect 
the manufactures of the town, or to refresh them- 
selves at the soda-water, and ice-cream shops. Once 
more seated in our stage coach we ascended the hill, 
to the better portion of the town, where we passed 
through the principal avenue of the place, upon each 
side of which were arranged those pretty villas and 
gardens for which Geneva is so justly celebrated. 
There were several churches in view, and a new pres 
byterian half built. This, to us, was an interesting 
object, a token God was not forgotten by the busy 
people below, or the wealthy ones around us. 

Canandaigua with its lake and street of villas received 
our commendations. There we dined at a very pretty 
and commodious Hotel, having a fine view of the lake 
from its windows. Some of the lake trout which ap- 
peared upon the table we found very fine. This lake 
is smaller than those we have passed being 14 miles 
long. The main street is nearly two miles long, and 
we drove through a mile of tasteful * garden-houses,' 
surrounded by grounds laid out in a pleasing manner, 
adorned with flowers and fine shade trees. The coun- 
try from thence to Rochester is very beautiful. Spot- 
ted with farms and villages, and woodlands covered 
with groves of maple, hickory, bass-wood, elm, and 
evergreen trees. It was nearly dark around us, 
when we were told the city was in view, and against 
the bright evening sky we beheld in the distance the 
towers and spires of Rochester. When we arrived we 



44 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

drove to the Rochester House. After some refresh- 
ment we bade our companions adieu ; promising to 
meet at an early hour the next morning and drive 
over the town before we left it for Lockport — and then 
were glad to rest, for we had come a long day's journey 
and in spite of good roads and commodious coaches, 
fine spirited horses, and good drivers, we were very 
much fatigued. 

Well do the inspired writers compare man and his 
brief existence to a flower that early withereth — to a 
shadow — a cloud that quickly vanisheth — one day 
here, and the next gone. Truly saith Job, ' thine eyes 
are upon me and and I am not.J a just figure of man's 
fleeting life. Never have I found the truth of these 
comparisons more striking than at the present moment. 
I told you of the amiable intellectual clergyman, who 
with his daughter agreed to meet us early this morn- 
ing — when that morning came he was in eternity ! At 
two o'clock last night we were aroused by a messen- 
ger from Miss T. saying her father was very ill. We 
followed the servant through the dark and lonely halls 
into the chamber where ' the good man met his fate.' 
Yes, all was over. Around the room in attitudes of 
mournful musing sat the keeper of the Hotel, some 
servants, and several ladies who had arisen to do all 
in their power to soothe the sufferer's pains. All had 
been done that was possible, but in vain. Upon the 
bed, lay a silent corpse, whose countenance bespoke 
a death of agony — it was all that now remained of 
that good and kind old man, that tender father, whose 
refined manners and intellectual conversation, had 
charmed us so much the day before. But his high in- 
tellect, his talents, his agreeable converse, of what 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 45 

avail were they all to him now, had they not been 
joined to deep heart-felt piety, and been devoted to 
the interests of religion. He had died far from his 
home, with no friends near him except his daughter — 
his last hour passed away in a hotel among strangers 
— yet spare your sympathy, for he died happy. The 
everlasting arms were supporting him, a tender father 
was waiting to receive him in those heavenly man- 
sions where death and sorrow can never come. He 
was going to no unknown region, he was to meet no 
strano-er face, for his mind and his heart had ever been 
familiar with that celestial home, now to be his eternal- 
ly — he knew a welcome awaited him from that Sa- 
vior and that God, with whose spirit he had ever held 
communion through a long life spent in devotion and 
in acts of beneficence. It was the v/ish of the cele- 
brated Archbishop Leighton that he might die at an 
inn, thus to be more forcibly reminded he was a pil- 
grim upon the earth — his wish was fulfilled, for he 
died at the Bell Inn, London. 

With what terms of praise high enough shall 1 
speak of the people of Rochester. When the news 
of this sad event spread, they surrounded the berea- 
ved daughter with sympathizing hearts, and offers of 
service. The persons belonging to the house, and 
the boarders, Avith many physicians and clergymen 
with ther families, w^ere anxious to cheer the heart of 
the sad survivor, and to lighten her mournful duties. 
The services of the Episcopal church were read over 
the body by the Rev. Mr. W. a young English elegy- 
man of great talent and piety. The persons assem- 
bled near, seemed much affected with this solemn 
.event. May God bless this sudden providence to them 



46 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

and to us. Uniting in a procession we accompanied 
the corpse to the canal boat, where bidding adieu to 
Miss T. we left her to pursue her dreary journey of five 
hundred miles, accompanied only with hired attend- 
ants. With what comfort did we see in her the pow- 
er of religion elevating the soul above the trials and 
sorrows of life. Nothing else could have supported 
this bereaved daughter through so heart-rending a dis- 
pensation. But she knew in whom she believed. She 
saw from whom the blow came, and her faith told her- 
it was done in mercy. As we were to leave Rochester 
the next morning, some of our kind friends called that 
afternoon and insisted upon driving us through the 
town. It being our only chance of seeing this cele- 
brated city, we accepted their kindness, although the 
scenes of the morning had unfitted us for any thing 
but retirement. 

As we drove along we were astonished at the 
extent and beauty of this city. It was you know 
founded in 1812, and now contains 22,000 inhabi-- 
tants. We had heard of its rapid rise, but supposed 
it must consist mostly of wooden buildings as is 
often the case in new settlements, and our surprise 
was the greater to find it built in the most solid 
manner. Churches, houses, hotels and banks, court 
house and arcade, markets were all of marble or 
stone. There are here fourteen churches* some of 
them quite handsome. The Episcopal Church of St. 
Paul's, is a fine gothic edifice of grey stone — the 
church which enjoys the ministration of the Rev. Mr. 
W. mentioned above, is also handsome, of gothic 
form, neatly edged with brown free stone — the pres-.- 

*Chapin's Gazateer. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 47 

byterian is of grey plaster supported by substantial 
abutments — the baptist, where Mr. C. officiates, one 
of our active friends of the morning ; a neat brick 
edifice — also catholic, methodist and bethel for the ca- 
nal men* The streets are many of them McAdamized. 
There is a fine park here surrounded by neat rail- 
ings where the children of the neighborhood are 
brought to take exercise. But what most elicited our 
admiration were the private dv/ellings, which in num- 
ber and beauty are seldom equalled in our cities. 
They are spacious, built of marble or stone, in gothic 
or grecian form surrounded by wings and piazzas, and 
out-buiidings and grounds handsomely laid out, adorn 
ed with shade trees, shrubbery and flowers. They 
are delightful retreats from the city's dust and noise ; 
make fine play grounds for the children, and altogether 
evince much taste and wealth. How much better 
is it for men of fortune, to secure for themselves and 
families, pure air and room for exercise, instead of 
squeezing, as they do in our city, into houses only 30 
by 100 feet, as is too much the custom in our cities. 
The Avealth lavished upon gay entertainments would 
procure space where their children might gain health 
and strength. A frolic upon the green sward is much 
more conducive to health, than a sober city walk be- 
side a nurse. I often see these palid pitiable little 
creatures in our streets walking as gravely and de- 
murely as some old octogenarian. A child without 
gaiety is as cheerless as a landscape without sun. 

The Genesee river divides the city into two parts, and 
is crossed by three bridges and the two aqueducts of the 
Erie canal. The oldest of these is a very fine piece 
of hew^n stone work 804 feet long supported by eleven 
raches. They were building another aqueduct, which 



48 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

is 858 feet long and 28 in height,* and the music of 
the rushing river was almost drowned by the mason's 
hammer. 

Beside this canal there is another called the Gene- 
see valley canal from Rochester to Olean, 119 miles. 
The Genesee falls are very pretty, consisting of rapids 
through the city, and in the suburbs it plunges over a 
circular rock into a deep delL The whole fall through 
the city is 268 feet ; 97 at the cascade. There 
is another cataract farther down the river, which falls 
106 feet. This is at Carthage, two miles below, and 
here is the port at which the lake steamboats stop. A 
rail road runs to this place. There was not much 
water in the river, and we did not see the falls in their 
greatest perfection, but still there was great beauty in 
the feathery foam which fell in snowy masses over 
the dark rock. These cliffs are old red stone and 
limestones — with feruginous sand rock, and argilla- 
ceous iron ore ; supposed by geologists to be equiva- 
lent to the Caradoc series. Upon the summit of the 
cliff' opposite to us was a range of solid stone mills, 
from whence we obtain that fine Genessee flour, 
ground from the wheat in the fertile region around. 
Five hundred thousand barrels of flour are turned out 
in a year. There are twenty-two of these mills. The 
little streams which trickle down the rocks, are stolen 
from the river to turn the wheels. Our kind friends 
were anxious to drive us to Mount Hope, a celebrated 
cemetery a few miles from the city, but time was 
wanting for this and many other proposed pleasures. 
A distant view of Lake Ontario is said to be obtained 

*Tanner, 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 49 

from this hill. We returned home through some of 
the business streets, which, particularly Maine and 
Buffalo, were filled with busy people, waggons of 
home or foreign produce, while the long ranges of 
shops were gay with dry goods hanging from the 
doors, and piled with every comfort and luxury. Sta- 
ges were landing or taking up passengers, canal boats 
were arriving and departing and every thing we saw 
denoted a strirring and thriving population. 



LETTER V. 

June 25th, 1840. 
Dear E. — We left Rochester this morning at eight 
o'clock, in a fine stage and four horses, for Lockport, 
64 miles distant, for which we were to pay two dollers 
and fifty cents each, dinner on the road, included. It 
was with much regret that we parted from this inter- 
esting city, for, although we had been there but a 
short time, we had seen enough to be able to appre- 
ciate its beauties, and the sterling qualities of its be- 
neficent and refined inhabitants. We passed through 
several pretty villages, and observed with pleasure the 
farm houses and even the meanest cabins were deco- 
rated with roses, geraniums, honey'-suckles and other 
flowers ; a pleasing custom which I wish was more 
followed among us. In one of the villages, I think 
its name was Greece, I observed a neat grave yard 
enclosed in a handsome stone fence and iron railing, 
where ' the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep,' while 
around the tombs the kind hand of surviving friends 
had planted roses and drooping willows. A great part 



A SUM3IER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 51= 

of our way lay over the famous ridge road, an eleva- 
tion of ground about as wide as a common road formed 
of sand and shells, and which is supposed once to 
have been the shore of Lake Ontario, now about ten 
miles distant. The ground has very much this appear- 
ance as the land between us and the lake is much 
lower, and level, with marshy spots. It is in some 
places covered with a dense forest. There is one 
thing however^ which struck me as singular, the land 
declines the other side of the road also, in some pla- 
ces leaving a narrow ridge to ride upon, which is not 
the ordinary form of a lake shore. Why may it not 
have been a public road, formed by that indefatigable 
race of diggers, the mound build erSj as a thoroughfare 
between two of their cities. It might still have been 
the border of the lake, but swampy and marshy ground. 
If we are to believe Mr. Delafield*" these people were 
the descendants of the builders of Babel, and wher 
dispersed by the confusion of tongues wandered about 
the world and at last found themselves in America. 
Here they have thrown up pyramidial mounds in imi- 
tation of their ruined tower on the plains of Shinar. 
The Arabs have a tradition that Nimrod, disappointed 
in his purpose of reaching heaven by building a tower, 
constructed a chariot, to which he placed a pair of 
wings, and thus hoped to enter the celestial regions. 
Alas ! since the days of Nimrod how many like him, 
have sought to attain the courts above, by their own 
strenuous exertions. 

Dear me, how I have wandered from the ridge road. 
The celebrated traveller, McKenney, believes this to 

* Antiquities of America. 



52 A STJMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

have been the border of the lake, which broke away 
and ran over the State of New York, thus scooping out 
the earth at the other side of the ridge. The lakes 
Geneva, Canandaigua, Cayuga, etc., he believes to 
have been left by this flood. This agrees with Dr. 
Mitchell's theory of a vast lake having been once in 
this part of the state, which burst through its southern 
shore at the Little Falls of the Mohawk, and through 
the Highlands, flooding the coasts of New York with 
alluvion. De Witt Clinton also, in his Canal report, 
remarks: 'The general position of the Little Falls, 
indicate the former existence of a great lake above 
connected with the Oneida lake j as the waters forced 
a passage here and receded, the flats were formed 
above, composed of several acres of alluvion.' In 
this alluvion trees are often found twelve feet under 
ground. Darby observed marks upon the rocks at 
Little Falls fifty feet above the river, showing the 
water had once stood so high. 

At a distance we saw Brpckport upon the canal, 
and soon after, at Gainesville, we dined. We reached 
Lockport at five o'clock in the afternoon and were 
shown into a neat comfortable hotel where we awaited 
the time of starting in the cars. Lockport is a town 
of the mushroom order, having arisen around the 
locks of the canal within a few years. The churches, 
houses, and hotels, looked very respectable, and the 
rail-roads and canals gave it quite a stirring appearance. 
The locks at the canal here are a great curiosity. 
There are five double combined locks which carry the 
canal over the ridge. There is also a deep cutting 
through the solid rock for some miles which is very 
interesting. Many specimens of minerals have been 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 53 

discovered here, as carbonate of lime, selenite, dog- 
tooth spar, petrifactions, etc. I promised to give you 
an account of all our expenses, so I will mention now, 
we are to pay ninety-four cents each to Niagara, 
twenty miles, as I shall not think of such mundane 
affairs while there. Our expenses at the hotels have 
been two dollars a day each, and meals fifty cents 
each at all our stopping places. Seated in the rail 
car we were soon on our road, and fast dashing 
through a tolerably cultivated country, with several 
neat mansions peeping through the trees. I trembled 
lest the land should remain thus until we arrived at 
Niagara, for I could not bear to approach it through 
petty villages and farms, but we soon left all cultiva- 
tion behind and found ourselves in a deep forest. 
While gliding rapidly along, the engineer's bell rang to 
scare some cow or other animal, as we thought, from 
the rail track. Several of the passengers looked out, 
one pronouncing it a man, another a cow, until, as we 
approached, we discovered it was an Indian female. 
She was enveloped in a dark mantle from beneath 
which could be seen her scarlet leggins richly em- 
broidered with beads. With a slow and stately step 
she paced the rail-track, the engineer's bell and shrill 
whistle unheeded. That she heard them was evident, 
for another Indian woman, her companion, who walked 
outside the rail, stretched forth her hand as if in ear- 
nest appeal, but the haughty young princess scorned 
to fly before her country's foe. The engine with 
slackened speed came near her and stopped j then, 
and not until it had quite stopped, she condescended 
to walk off the rail-way. As we passed I saw she was 
young and pretty, and her dark eye flashed with a 



54 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

triumphant expression which said, ' You dared not 
drive over me ! I scorned to be forced from the road 
by your bell, like an animal ! ' 

'Look out for the Falls! Prepare for Niagara!' is 
the cry of all in the coach. My heart began to beat — 
does not yoursl Do be a little romantic, and feel some 
emotion, while about to behold one of Nature's greatest 
wonders. I looked out; we were on the river's bank, 
a high precipice of about two hundred feet Far 
below rushed the river, of a green copper hue, or 
verdigris ; far up through the defile I caught a view 
of a mountain of mist, but I resolutely turned away, 
for such snatches of views I have been told to avoid, 
as bringing disappointment with them. The road 
swerved from the river, and in a few minutes we 
found ourselves in the midst of the little village of 
Niagara. When the train stopped we were surrounded 
by a host of porters, struggling to secure us for their 
several favorite hotels. We chose the Cataract house, 
from a friend's recommendation, and from its appro- 
priate name. We had no cause to repent our decision 
as its accommodation and attendance were every thing 
we could wish. We were shown into a neat chamber, 
which to my delight looked out upon the rushing 
rapids. The tea bell rang as we entered, and much to 
the annoyance of my impatient spirit, my companion 
made it plain to me I should refresh myself before 
visiting the Falls. Tea over, I had leave to go, and 
we were soon upon the pathway. Shall I take you at 
once into the presence chamber of the divinity, or 
shall I describe the halls and corridors as I pass 
through them to her throne 1 I think a minute de- 
scription will best please you. Niagara river, just 



A SUMEER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 55 

before it reaches the fall is divided into two parts; 
one rushing past the Canada shore, plunges over the 
rocks making the crescent, or horse-shoe fall — this 
fall is about one hundred and sixty feet high. The 
-Other half of the river passes around an island, called 
Goat, or Iris island, and falls from the American side. 
This island has been sacred from the foot of man until 
a few years since, when a bridge was thrown across 
the rapids with much dexterity and daring. Upon 
this bridge we will walk if you please, stopping one 
moment to view the rapids. These constitute a very 
beautiful feature of the scene, and, were it not for the 
falls, wouldbe well worth a visit on their own account. 
The river is a mile wide, and comes rushing and 
foaming over rocks some ten or twelve feet high, 
looking, sea-faring men tell us, very much like break- 
ers, or a sea in a storm — the green waves heightening 
the illusion. One is glad to be safely over this tumul- 
tuous water, especially as the former bridge has been 
carried away. From the bridge you land upon Bath 
island, containing about two acres of land, upon which 
is erected a toll-house, and shop for the sale of Indian 
curiosities and canes. There are also bathing houses 
here. A short bridge brings us to Goat Island, one-half 
a mile long and a quarter wide. It is also called Iris, 
and as such I shall designate it. The increased roar, 
the mist rising above the trees, urge you on, and 
you pass the 'curiosity shop' and refreshments here 
offered, and hasten on through many a winding forest 
path, until you gain the opposite side of the island, 
where you find yourself upon the brink of a deep gulf 
into which an ocean broken loose from its bounds is 
precipitated with astounding noise and violence ! . . . . 



56 A SUMMER JOrR^'EY IN THE WEST. 

This is the crescent fall on the Canadian shore. But 
linger not here. Descend the island to the brink of 
the river, and cross the rapids over a tottering, frail 
bridge, to the tower, which stands upon the precipice 
at the edge of the falls I Ascend to the top, and lean 
over the railing, look calmly down if you can, into 
the fathomless abyss of ocean, where the waves are 
dashing; the foam whirling, and the winds rushing, 
amid the roar of a thousand thunders eternally ascend- 
ing. Deafened, confounded, bewildered, you retreat 
in haste, fearful every moment the breakers which 
are dashing against the tower, will tear it away from 
its foundation, and plunge you into the fearful ocean 
depths below. At this place, and upon table rock op- 
posite, you see Niagara in all its power and terror. 
But if you would behold it in all its ravishing beauty, 
you must go as we did, the next morning before sun- 
rise, and view it from the ferry house. To reach this 
spot, you do not cross to Iris island, but follow the 
river bank to the American fall, near which is the 
ferryman's cottage, and at a little distance the ladder 
which leads you down to the boat. Seated upon a 
rock, in front of the cottage, we feasted our eyes with 
unearthly beauty. Beside you is the American fall, 
tinged with a delicate apple or beryl green hue. One 
delights to follow with the eye this fair translucent 
arch, as it plunges far down into the water nearly two 
hundred feet below us. You have but a sideling view 
of this fall here. Looking past it you see the dark 
foliage of Iris island, and beyond, the Canadian fall. 
This immense mass of water falls over rocks in the 
form of a crescent, and is tinted with an elysian love- 
liness which you have never beheld, and never can 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 57 

conceive, let me write pages upon it. Earth has 
never produced water of the like hue : something of 
the emerald, but more rich, more vivid. This green, 
spotted, and embroidered as it is, with wreaths of 
snow white foam, presents the most charming and 
unique effect imaginable. In some places the water 
pitches over perfectly smooth, as if an emerald arch j 
and so pellucid, that you may distinctly see through 
it the white foam that is churned from the rocks over 
which it flows. As we reached the spot from whence 
this is seen, the sun arose above the trees, and imme- 
diately two glorious rainbows spanned the river from 
shore to shore! and the mist which was rising high 
in the air, took the tint of the rose, which faded, only to 
be replaced by the most gorgeous prismatic hues. 
Never had imagination pictured any thing so glorious 
as that scene : a tremendous fall of green and white 
water; a gay colored rainbow; rosy mist; azure sky, 
and shores of various shades. It was a creation which 
belonged not to earth. It seemed as if the celestial 
city was before us, with its gates and walls of sap- 
phire, of emerald, of ruby, and of gold. The waters 
of life that flow through the city of God, seemed 
rushing past us, for the scene was altogether unearthly, 
and our feelings were elevated to that sublime archi- 
tect, who could create such surpassing beauty. Earth 
and its cares, home and its joys are all forgotten, and 
we feel as if we could ever recline before the throne 
of that mysterious presence, and watch untiring those 
clouds of incense which are rising before it forever. 
When we left the scene, we trod in solemn silence, as 
if on holy ground. The violence with which the 
water pours over the rocks has worn them away. 



58 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

and the river has broken its way up from Lake On- 
tario at the rate of a rood in three years. It is sup- 
posed, when first discovered, to have been near the 
Clifton House on the Canadian shore, and the ferry 
house at the American. 

June ^6th. — Thi smorning we descended the cliffs by 
a staircase and crossed to the Canadian shore. The boat 
was tossed about like a shell upon the whirling waves, 
and as they looked up at the mass of water tumbling so 
near them, and at the boiling water two hundred and 
fifty feet deep, under us, some of our fellow passen- 
gers became a little nervous. My whole soul was so 
absorbed in contemplating the wondrous scene, that I 
felt no terrror. A sentinel in the scotch costume 
greeted our eyes Avhen we landed telling us we were 
now in a strange land among another people. A 
winding walk up the cliff, leads you to Chfton House, 
a celebrated Canadian hotel. From the balconies of 
this house, is one of the most imposing views of the 
Niasrara falls. You see the whole at once, while from 
the American side you see only apart at a time. Still, 
if not so ffrand, the view is more varied and more 
beautiful upon the opposite shore and from Iris 
Island. Every one says it is ridiculous to attempt to 
describe these falls, but, I have promised to give you 
daguerreotype views, and will endeavor to sketch the 
outlines — the shading, and the impressions of the 
scene can only be given by the place itself. Imagine 
a crescent of water a mile long, plunging with awful 
violence as if the foundations of the great deep had 
broken up again, from a cliff nearly 200 feet high. 
According to McKennney 15,000,000 tons of water 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 59 

are poured over the rocks in 24 hours. A green 
island divides this fall into two unequal parts. Table 
rock, upon the Canadian shore is at the edge of the 
falls, and projects over the cliff where you may stand 
with nothing between you and the boiling ocean below. 
So close is it to the water that the waves wash over 
part of it, and it is almost always covered with mist 
and spray. If it be glory to be buried in Niagara, 
you may here hope for that fate, as a portion of the 
rock has already fallen, and a large crack shows you 
the remainder will soon follow. From this spot, is 
said to be the finest view, as the eye embraces the 
whole circle of waters ; but, as it was one of the 
days when the mist takes that direction, I saw but 
little of this. 1 found myself upon a slippery rock, a 
shelf between heaven and earth, with waves of spray 
breaking over me, and a furious mist dashing into my 
face — a noise of waters was in my ears, a white foam 
rushed wildly past, and I felt as if caught up in the 
sky in a whirlwind and driving snow storm. We 
waded back through the wet grass and ran into the 
Pavilion to avoid the spray dripping from the eaves. 
This house besides being a curiosity shop is the resi- 
dence of the guide who v/ill conduct you down a long 
staircase, and behind the fall if you wish — as I had no 
penchant for being drenched, half drowned and suffo- 
cated I did not attempt this exploit. We descended 
this morning the American side and ventured a little 
behind that fall. One feels very much as an Israelite 
making his exode, with a wall of water at his side 
'where the flood stood upright.' 

When once in, you see a glorious chamber with 
dome and walls of emerald rendered transparent by 



60 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

the morning sim. You might imagine yourself in one 
of those crystal caves where the sea nymphs congre- 
gate, heneath the arches of the sea* On the road 
from table rock to Clifton House, there is another 
building where there is a fine museum containing 
4,000 specimens of indian curiosities, animals, miner- 
als &c., many of them from that region. The trees 
about here are most of them evergreen. The regular 
yellow pine grows here and the silver fur with its 
white lined leaves and purple cones and the fan leaved 
larch growing 100 feet high. The rocks of Niagara 
are secondary limestone and sandstone, abounding 
with veins and nodules of various minerals — among 
them selenite, calcareous spar — petrifactions — tufa 
from the cave, and many others. I believe I have 
sketched for you every thing regarding these falls — 
gigantesque phenomene as La Vaseur calls them. 
Still I do not expect to give you any idea of them, for 
no one who ever wrote, conveyed an impression of 
the reality to me. I might make a pyramid of exple- 
tives, and when all the superbs beautiful' s, majestic's 
and touching's are expended, you will say when you 
come, ' the half has never been told me !' Many have 
been disappointed here chiefly because the scenery 
around the falls is not as imposing as they had imag- 
ined. Some would have a range of lofty mountains 
as a back scene ; or a crest of naked rocks towering 
above the falls ; but I fancy these are of the class of 
contradictionists who make a respectable figure in 
conversation merely by opposing every thing. They 
thus obtain a hearing, are able to enter into an argu- 
ment, when no other means would gain them a listener. 
He who formed this imposing scene is a better judge 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 61 

of the sublime and beautiful. A range of mountains 
would materially injure the effect, as it would by con- 
trast take away from the height of the water. The 
cataract would be a secondary object, but seated as it 
is in a level region of country, it is the first object 
that strikes the eye — a gem on natures forehead. 
There are many drives in this neighborhood to various 
interesting places, such as springs, whirlpools, battle- 
fields &c. The parade ground is also a favorite place 
of resort. A regiment of 700 soldiers are reviewed 
upon the Canadian shore. We hired a carriage at 
the Clifton House and after a short drive found our- 
selves upon a beautiful plain above the falls, surrounded 
by guard houses, and barracks. The plain was soon 
filled with soldiers, who came marching up in seperate 
detachments from every direction. They were tall 
fine formed men, all of one height dressed in the 
Scotch costume, consisting of the short plaid skirt, 
stockings laced with red, cap and a cloud of black 
plumes. They were well drilled, and marched, coun- 
ter-marched and went through all their evolutions as 
one man. The dress is picturesque, but must be a 
cold one in these regions. A pantaloon over the 
naked knee, I think would be an improvement. I 
could see soldiers, although not as well drilled, at 
home, so I was glad to turn my course towards that 
rolling flood below. From this plain is a fine view of 
the rapids above the cataract, and of Iris Island, 
which seems to have floated to the brink of the preci- 
pice, like one of the Mexican floating islands. We 
spent the afternoon upon Iris island. In the little 
curiosity shop we refreshed ourselves with delicate 

white strawberries grown upon the island, covered 

6 



62 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

with rich cream. Here also we added to our stock 
of Indian bags and moccasins. Among the articles in 
the shops at the village I admired most a large living 
eagle which was chained to his perch. His feathers 
were black and white, and his beak and claws yellow, 
with a ruff of grey about his neck. I pitied the poor 
captive as he stood gazing sadly out apparently lis- 
tening to the roar of the falls, and longing to be at 
large in his native forest once more. 

The village of Tuscarora Indians is sometimes vis- 
ited, much against their wishes however. The Indian 
nations have never lost the remembrance of their 
former power, and their present degradation. They 
look upon us as usurpers, who have wrested from 
them the land of their fathers, and have never forgiven 
us. They count themselves our prisoners, and are 
indignant that we should come and gaze upon them 
in their fallen state as objects of curiosity. Their vil- 
lage is built upon the high shore of Niagara about 
eight miles below the falls, commanding a fine pros- 
pect of the river and lake. They are under the care 
of a missionary who has been the means of converting 
fifty out of the three hundred. This tribe once be- 
longed to the confederacy of five nations, but came 
originally from North Carolina, and are living upon 
the proceeds of the sale of their land there and their 
trade. Some of them are prosperous, industrious far- 
mers, while the women embroider beautifully, with 
beads and stained porcupine quills, upon birch bark 
and deer skin. These they dispose of at the shops, 
and to strangers at the Hotels. Upon these occasions, 
I am struck with the difference between this proud 
race and our own A pedler or travelling shopman 



A SUMMER JOURKEY IN THE WEST. 63 

comes in, unpacks his wares, holds up every article, 
insists upon its worth and beauty, and urges you to 
buy — with the Indian it is otherwise. At our hotel, 
while ascending after dinner to the dining room, one 
is struck by the sight of a row of dark beings sitting 
upright upon the settees in the halls envelloped in 
cloaks of scarlet or black, richly embroidered with 
beads or adorned by peices of tin cut in flowers and 
tacked on. Their eyes are fixed upon the ground, 
their long hair falls over their faces, and an expression 
of profound melancholy sits upon every countenance. 
You stand before them and gaze upon them, but silent, 
grave, and motionless they sit, like the band of con- 
script fathers awaiting the approach of Attila. You 
at last ask, ' Have you any moccasins ! ' with a digni- 
fied motion they throw open their cloaks, and their 
laps are filled with articles for sale. You ask the 
price — a low musical voice tells you the amount in a 
very foreign accent, and that is all I could ever obtain 
from an Indian woman although I made many efforts 
while at Niagara, and they can both speak and under- 
stand English. 

I never saw but one of them smile. I asked her 
what she had for sale in her lap — she threw it open, 
and behold a pretty Indian cupid asleep in a birch 
cradle, swathed and bandaged in their peculiar fashion. 
Titania would have quarrelled for it. At my start of 
surprise and admiration, a moonbeam smile flashed 
over her face and then all was dark and gloomy as 
before. The celebrated Timothy Flint tells us, 'the 
Indians are a melancholy musing race; whatever emo- 
tion or excitement they feel, goes on in the inner man.' 
So close an observer as he was, and living so long 



64 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE AVEST. 

among them, his views can be relied on as being cor- 
rect. The Indians have always been noted for their 
strong attachment to their children, and a stranger 
among them has only to praise the papoose to w^in 
his way to the parents heart. 

June 21th. — I could not have believed parting with 
Niagara would have caused such sorrow. The lofty, 
and celestial emotions which are produced when in the 
presence of this one of God's most beautiful creations 
you are unwilling to lose. You feel ' it is good to be 
here' — and you dread to leave this holy ground to 
enter again into scenes which will do much to efface 
these pure emotions. A glimpse of heaven has been 
vouchsafed you, and most reluctantly you return to 
earth again. Slowly we sat out this morning to take 
a last farewell. We had seen it in all its brightness 
and we now beheld it in a sombre hue. The heavens 
were overcast, the mist, once of a dazzling whiteness 
now took a dusky tint, and hung over the cataract like 
a mourning veil. It was more in accordance with my 
feelings than to have bade her adieu while she was 
smiling in the ' bright garish eye of day'- — one might 
fancy she was sad at losing such true worshippers. 
But you cannot understand such feelings now, they 
no doubt seem ridiculous — come here, and you will 
experience the truth of such emotions. At two 
o'clock, soon after dinner, we sat out on the rail road 
for Buffalo. The road for some time is laid along the 
river bank, and gives us a fine view of the islands, 
rapids, and other objects of interest, as Fort Schlosser, 
and Chippewa, — and then a long low wooded island 
floating upon the bosom of the broad stream was 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 65 

shown, as Navy island, the head quarters of the Cana- 
dian revolutionist in '37 and '38. The band have 
however now dispersed, and the island has returned 
to its parent, promising never to do so any more. It 
contains 700 * acres of good land. The river now 
begins to expand from one mile to eight, including 
Grand Island in the centre. This is twelve miles in 
length, and contains 17,384< acres of rich land and 
stately timber. A neat village called "White Haven 
stands upon its shore, containing among other build- 
ings, a steam saw mill which furnishes ship stuff from 
20, to 70 feet in length. A fine situation, for such an 
establishment, as there is plenty of the raw material 
for this manufacture in sight all around. 

There are 15 or 20 islands between the falls and 
Lake Erie, some of them very pretty, adorned with 
clumps of maple, oak, or cedar. Upon one of them, 
Tonawanda isle, is a fine mansion with cultivated 
grounds and fields around it. Our road lay through a 
village of the same name situated upon Tonawanda 
creek, a small place through which runs the Erie ca- 
nal. We had sufficient time to survey the beauties of 
Rattle-snake Island at our leisure, for, when just op- 
posite, a part of our engine gave way, and we came to 
a sudden pause. The male passengers were soon out, 
to discover the cause, and came back with a report 
that we could proceed no farther, as the injury was 
very great. We were declared to be ' in a pretty fix.' 
A horse was procured from a house in sight, and a 
a man was despatched upon it to Buffalo about eight 
miles distant. Many of the passengers sat out to 
walk to Black rock 4 miles a head, where they could 

* Gazetteer. 

6* 



66 A SUM3IER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

procure carriages to take them to Buffalo. The rest 
of us remained seated in the coaches, Avith a hot July 
sun streaming through the windows. What should we 
do — scold at the road, or the train, or the engineers 1 
No, an American never vexes himself about such 
things — he is calm and indifferent under every circum- 
stance. Some of us fell to reading, some to napping 
and some to rambling. We undertook the latter, but 
as we were only surrounded by ploughed fields soon 
returned to the coach, where I busied myself in wri- 
ting the above. Pray read on if it is only to repay 
me for my sufferings those two hours in the heat. I 
think I had better abuse this rail road a little, for it 
deserves it. Do not, however, suppose I am vexed at 
being left thus ' sitting on a rail !' The iron is ripped 
up in several places, causing a jolt when we strike 
against these land snags, and a man rides beside the 
enofineer with a hammer to nail them down. It is the 
worst rail road I ever travelled over : however, as it 
is only used a few months in the year when Niagara 
is fashionable, perhaps it may not yield sufficient pro- 
fit to allow much expense upon it. Something is seen 
coming up the road — all heads are out, and. we hope to 
be released from our captive state — it turns out to be 
the return train which had been waiting for our en- 
gine and cars, and now has been obliged to take hor- 
ses instead. As it was impossible to pass us, the 
passengers and their baggage were turned out, and 
placed in our coaches, to the Niagara end of which 
their horses were fastened. They looked very sourly 
at us while this was passing, thinkingperhaps of the 
maxim of Pythagoras to his scholars — Do not remain 
in the highway. They wondered at us for sitting in 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 67 

their highway, depriving them of their engine, and 
condemning them to the loss of a fine afternoon at 
Niagara. Some of them perhaps might have been of 
that whisking class of tourists who intended to return 
the next morning early, and to them it would be quite 
a loss. 

A joyous shout announced the appearance of our 
horses, and we were soon on our way again. We 
passed through Black Rock, a considerable village, 
and then followed the Erie canal for some distance. 
The last two miles were upon the borders of Lake 
Erie which stretched away a mighty mass of green 
waters, to the horizon. As this was our first view of 
our great ' inland seas, we gazed upon it with much 
interest. There are many handsome villas in the vi- 
cinity of the town commanding fine views of the lake 
and city ; one of them, a large Gothic stone mansion, 
promises to be quite an ornament to the country if 
ever finished. At Buffalo we drove of course to the 
American Hotel, as its fame had reached us at home. 
It is a large stone building, well kept, and elegantly 
furnished. The drawing room is as handsome as any 
in the country, and the dining room is a large airy 
commodious apartment lighted with five large gilded 
chandeliers. The staircases and halls are of oak co- 
vered with copper in some places — the bedrooms, pri- 
vate parlors, table and attendance as good as we could 
find in our boasted city. There is here also a public 
room, hired sometimes, for concerts and lectures, 
which is well lighted with chandeliers and set round 
with green silk couches. In fact every thing is good 
and neat. 



68 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

June 2%th. — ^Sabbath morning — that blessed day of 
rest, given in mercy as a moment of repose in the 
wearied journey of life to the ' world's tired denizen !' 
We felt its benefit, and rejoiced no stage horn could 
hurry us onward, and no bell, save the ' church going 
beir, could summon us forth. The presbyterian 
church is a plain building, but handsomely fitted up 
inside, and very comfortable. Rev. Mr. Lord is 
the minister, an able and pious man. We heard 
in the morning a very interesting discourse from 
Mr. Stilwell of the American Bethel Union. He 
delivered it in a Baptist church in which the Rev. Mr. 
Choules officiates when in the city. It is a neat, com- 
modious building, the pews made of the native black 
walnut cushioned and lined with horse hair. A choir 
of good singers accompanid by instruments led the 
music. The society to which Mr. Stilwell belongs 
devotes itself to the sailor's interest. The state of 
the boatmen upon the Erie canal he reported to be 
very wretched. There are about 25,000 boatmen and 
sailors employed upon the canal and in lake navigation, 
who were of the lowest and most worthless class of 
men ; seeming inaccessable to all efforts for their re- 
formation or conversion. These, mixing with the 
lower population of Buffalo, and other towns on their 
route, exerted a baneful influence. The Bethel Union 
attempted to send missionaries among them, but they 
were abused, insulted and almost discouraged. Still, 
as they felt it their duty, these self-denying men per- 
severed every Sunday in addressing the men along the 
canal, and in presenting bibles and tracts. They soon 
began however to have some hope, for when the canal 
closed last autumn there were only two men who had re- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 69 

fused tracts, and only three who insulted them. With 
this success, small as it was, they were excited to go on, 
hoping the Lord was smiling upon their labors. The 
minister most successful among them had once been 
a canal boy himself, and while sitting upon his horse 
dragging the boat, employed himself for hours in in- 
venting new and strange oaths to surprise his fellow 
boatmen. The men now readily listened to him. 
They were conscious of their degradation, knew they 
were despised by all good men, and never hoped to 
rise. Seeing now, one of their number so bright and 
shining a light, they trusted a boatman's name would 
not always be an object of scorn. These poor men 
complained to him, that they had no day of rest, as 
there was as much forwarding upon the Sabbath as 
upon any other day. The Captains of the lake boats 
were also obliged to struggle against this evil, and in 
some instances had renounced their trade upon that 
account, or upon remonstrance had been turned adrift 
for some less scrupulous Captain. The fault then 
seems to lie upon the forwarding merchants, whom 
Mr. Stillwell addressed, begging their forbearance in 
this respect. 

It is to be hoped this address produced its intended 
effect, and the merchants who claim a day of repose 
for themselves, have granted the same to the unfortu- 
nate boatmen.* 

June 29. — This morning we sent for a carriage and 
sat out to see the city and make some visits. Buffalo, 

* I am glad to see Troy, who is ever forward in the cause of religion and 
morality, has abandoned this practice in some instances. There has been 
more success in the canal this year. Mr. Eaton, in his report, mentions 
150 conversions. A small number among 26,000, but enough to cheer on 
the pious missionary, 



70 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

although suffering with all our cities in the stagnation 
of trade, seems to be doing a great deal of business. 
The rows of shops, and handsome ware-houses, seem 
to contain every article necessary for comfort or lux- 
ury. It is a larger city than Rochester, but has not 
its air of elegan«e and neatness. The town was burnt 
by their neighbors, the Canadians, in 1814, but has 
since been rebuilt. The streets are wide and airy, 
Maine street, the principal avenue, is more than a 
mile in length. The churches are neat buildings, one 
of them, a catholic, promises, when finished, to be 
handsome. The court house is a solid well built edi- 
fice having pillars up to the roof. The markets are 
very good also. The city is well situated upon ground 
rising gently from the lake, the upper part being 
covered with handsome private dwellings, which thus 
obtain fine views of the lake and surrounding country, 
and secure for themselves room for their gardens 
which are very prettily laid out. There is here also 
a military station for the United States troops, whose 
barracks, comfortable brick buildings, are built around 
the parade ground and surrounded by a. good wall. 
Our friend's cottage was upon elevated ground look- 
ing down upon the green Niagara river, and enjoying 
a view of the lake in front, and behind an extent of 
country covered with the untamed forest. It was the 
first time I had seen a forest landscape, and I looked 
with much interest upon this vast plain of green 
leaves reaching to the distant horizon j a smoke curled 
in one spot telling of some settler clearing his way 
through the green wood. The handsomest private 
dwellings here do not affect the Gothic or^Greecian, 
which had prevailed along our road, but were substan- 



A STTMBIER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 71 

tial square stone or brick buildings, having a marble 
portico in front, an cupola upon the top, surrounded 
by a fancy railing. Our drive around Buffalo was very 
interesting, and we wondered, as we marked such a 
mass of solid buildings, and depots of articles from 
every region in the world, and such throngs of human 
beings deposited in a wilderness, but a few years re- 
deemed from the Indian, the buffalo, and the bear. 
What industry, what energy, has been employed to 
bring hither all these materials. Buffalo is a frontier 
town, and grand portal of the west, through which is 
flowing a constant stream of travellers and emigrants. 
This mixture of all nations in the streets, give them 
an unique appearance. Here you see the Indian 
beau with his tunic bound with a crimson sash, 
his hat surrounded by a circle of feathers ; his 
deer skin pantaloons richly embroidered in barbaric 
patterns, while ribbons and tassels swing out from 
his dress at every step. After him will pass a 
band of United States soldiers ; then a rough back- 
woodsman, upon a horse looking as wild as him- 
self, its uncut mane and tail waving in the wind as he 
gallops violently through the streets. Then follows a 
party of comical German emigrants ; a scarlet clad 
British officer ; a Canadian j a Frenchman j a wild 
looking son of Erin ; a sturdy ruddy, gaiter legged En- 
glish farmer ', a Tonawanda squaw with her papoose 
upon her back 5 and lastly the dainty lady traveller 
with her foreign abigal, and fantastically dressed chil- 
dren. Among the crowd I observed a curious figure — 
a one legged negro, wearing an old uniform coat with 
ruffled cuffs, ringing a bell most energetically. The 
old English custom of sending a bell-man to proclaim 



72 A SUMMER JOTJitNEY IN THE WEST. 

the loss of any article, prevails here, as in some of 
our other towns, I believe. ' What is lost, Sambo V 
inquired a person. ' Your wits, massa,' he replied 
quickly, setting his juvenile train off in a fit of laugh- 
ter. To another inquirer, he replied, ' My leg is lost, 
don't you see ' holding up the stump. He is, I sup- 
pose a privileged wit, who, if he cannot set the table, 
no doubt does the street in a roar. The Buffalonians are a 
gay social people. The unamiable fashion of exclu- 
siveness being very little known here, for, living where 
the population is continually changing and where 
strangers are constantly claiming their hospitality, 
they have acquired an easy unsouciant manner, and 
are ever forming social meetings to entertain the 
stranger. Our letters procured for us much kind at- 
tention, and we had an opportunity of witnessing this 
free hospitable spirit. In the afternoon one of our 
friends called, and we drove down where a fanciful 
yacht awaited us, and a pleasant party of ladies and 
gentlemen, for the purpose of taking us over to the 
ruined fort opposite the city. This is a favorite pic- 
nic haunt of the young citizens. Fort Erie is upon 
the Canadian shore, opposite Buffalo, just at the point 
where the Niagara river runs out of lake Erie. It 
was destroyed during the war of 1812. 

I have scarcely enjoyed any thing so much as that 
sail over Lake Erie. The lake is here five or six 
miles broad. The water rushes swiftly past, as if 
eager to accomplish its glorious destiny of plunging 
over the rocks of Niagara, there to be a spectacle 
which nations come from afar to gaze upon. We 
caught the excitement which seemed to animate the 
water, as we were tossed upon its wavelets with 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 73 

quick, gay, tilting motion ; and gazed with much de- 
light at the novel objects around us. The city, with 
its numerous domes and spires; the bright Niagara 
rushing and gurgling at a rapid rate over the ledge of 
rocks which once was Erie's barrier ere the waters 
burst their bounds — the gulls wheeling above us, or 
floating upon the waves; and above all, that immense 
lake, that mighty mass of sparkling emerald water, 
stretching far into the mysterious west. The air, 
breathing from the fresh forest and cool lake, was so re- 
freshing that I was almost sorry when we reached the 
shore. Landing upon a sandy beach, we repaired to 
the fort, where under the shadow of a ruined wall, we 
seated ourselves upon the green sward, and while 
refreshing ourselves with the contents of our provision 
baskets, our discourse fell upon the hapless fate of 
those whose blood had dyed the fair turf around us ; 
or upon other scenes which occurred during that 
border war. But now all this is over ; conqueror and 
vanquished are both beneath the ' clod of the valley ' ; 
the echo of the war trump has died away ; the green 
earth smiles again as peacefully as if it had never 
drank the blood of the dying, and wall, and bastion, 
are fast crumbling into their parent elements. The 
lake, the sky, the shore, are no longer vexed with 
sights and sounds of strife. Alas ! whence come wars 
and fighting among usl Must these things always bel 
Must earth's children ever thus hack and tear each 
other 1 And we who are brethren, whose homes are 
in sight upon either shore of this bright lake, can we 
not dwell in unity '1 They who have opposite creeds, 
who differ in dress, in manner, in language, may and 

will rival, dislike, detest, fight and exterminate each 

7 



74 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST, 

Other; but we, who are sons of the same father, who 
speak the same tongue, Oh, must we be ever thus at 
enmity 1 

* Though ages long have passed 

Since our fathers left their home j 
Their pilot in the blast 
O'er untravelled seas to roam, — 
Yet lives the blood of England in our veins 1 

And still from either beach 
The voice of blood shall reach, 
More audible than speech, 
" We are one I" 

I have said this is a favorite place of resort, and 
here a party of gay young people came to avoid the 
noise of the city, and spend a quiet day with their 
books and work, upon the fourth of July. Their little 
feast was spread under the shade of the fortress, and 
they were in the act of drinking to the day, when they 
were suddenly taken captive by a band of English 
soldiers. It was at that unhappy time when Canada 
was disturbed by revolutionary projects, and it was 
naturally imagined they had come there purposely to 
insult them. It was an imprudent frolic, and they 
paid dearly for it; they were marched off three miles 
to a military station, where, after being fully exam- 
ined and no signs of revolution being found upon 
them, they were suffered to depart and return as they 
best might. I relate the anecdote to show how easily 
we may mistake each other's motives, and how soon 
ill-blood may be brewed between those who are suspi- 
cious of each other, and ready to take offence. 

While we were thus discoursing, the sky grew 
gradually dark, and a veil of blackness was let down 

* America to Great Britain. — Allston, 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 75 

over the lake, giving token of a thunder shower. We 
were soon in the boat which tossed very much, but 
we had able young seamen who landed us safely just 
as the sun, bursting forth, smiled at our idle fears. An 
evening of social pleasure ended our agreeable day. 

June 30th. — This morning we were again employed 
in rambling about the city. The situation of Buffalo is 
calculated to make it a great commercial mart. It is 
upon the high road to the west, and will command 
much of the business of the lakes, while the great 
Erie canal connects it with the Atlantic. This canal 
is indeed a ' herculean achievement.' It is three hun- 
dred and sixty-three miles in length, forty feet wide, 
and four deep ; contains six hundred and eighty-eight 
feet of locks; is crossed by several fine aqueducts; 
and all this was completed in eight years. There are «e 
other canals connected with it. This great artery, 
bringing up the produce of Europe to the west, through 
this city, must increase its prosperity* and popula- 
tion. 

At twelve o'clock this morning embarked in the 
steamboat Constellation for Chicago, through lakes 
Erie, St. Clair, Huron and Michigan, a distance of 
twelve hundred miles, for which we are to pay twenty 
dollars, ten each. The wharves as we left them present- 
ed a busy scene. We counted forty steamboats and 
canal boats, beside several large vessels. Among the 
latter was the Queen Charlotte, a stately ship of war 



* Amount of flour and wheat which entered the canal from Lake Erie 


at Buffalo :— 






From Ohio, 


505,262 barrels of flour ; 


72,525 bushels of wheat. 


Michigan, 


112,215 " " 


97,249 " '• 


Indiana', 


13,726 " " 


48,279 " " 


Illinois, 


2,259 " " 


10,634 " " 


Wisconsin, 


1,166 •' " 





76 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

belonging to Canada, but degraded to the ignoble fate 
of a Buffalo trader. She had, it is true, lost some of 
her original brightness ere thus fallen, for she had 
been twenty-three years under water, having been 
sunk in a naval fight on Lake Erie, and lately raised. 
The wharves were loaded with produce and merchan- 
dize, while carts, boats, and men, were loading and 
being unloaded. 

We left Buffalo with regret. Its majestic river and 
noble lake — its back ground of forests, gay streets, 
and social people, have left a vivid and pleasing pic- 
ture upon our memories. A fine pier, or breakwater 
as they call it, of solid mason work extends 1100 feet, 
protecting the wharves from the waves. A light 
house stands upon the end of the pier. When the 
city had completely faded into the distant horizon we 
turned our gaze on our companions. Upon one cor- 
ner of the deck was a promiscuous heap of chairs, 
children, pots, kettles, men and women, being a family 
movino- west. That old man with a cocked hat, and 
large metal buttons, the young man in a blue frock, 
and women with embroidered stomachers and inde- 
scribable caps, sitting upon a pile of strange looking 
articles of husbandry, and huge unwieldy chests, is 
a band of emigrants from central Europe. A party 
of English gentleman from Canada were there, bound 
upon a hunting expedition to AVisconsin — another of 
Buffalo young men, were going to while away the 
summer months in a fishing excursion upon Lake Su- 
perior, a long light skiff being part of their travelling 
luggage. There were also tourists for pleasure, infor- 
mation and health like ourselves, and some few going 
to inspect lands which they had bought unseen. Our 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 77 

steamboat is a very fine one although not of the first 
class. There is a handsome saloon for the ladies sur- 
rounded by a circle of state-rooms opening upon the 
deck — below are the eating rooms and gentlemen's 
cabin, the whole fitted up with comfort and elegance. 
There are about 53 steamboats upon lake Erie, some 
of them of six hundred tons, and fitted up with every 
luxury and elegance, many costing from $15,000 to 
$120,000 each. They are built upon a fine model, 
and are well finished. The upholsterer's bill some- 
times amounts to $4,000. They are generally built 
very strong to resist the waves that run high here. 
The complement of men for one of these boats 
amounts to 40; the captain receiving $100 a month. 
After an excellent dinner we ascended to the prome- 
nade deck which, like our Hudson river boats is the 
uppermost deck, surrounded with seats. We were 
out upon lake Erie, and gazed around us with wonder 
and delight. The water was a fine dark green, which 
as the wind was high, was tossed in waves crested 
with white foam, or sparkling spray. The shores 
were in some places low and wooded, alternating with 
gentle elevations, at whose foot ran a line of yellow 
sand — 'a sky of purest azure dotted with fleecy clouds 
was above. What a lovely scene — 

" Where shall we find in foreign land 
So lone a lake, so sweet a strand ?" 

asks Sir Walter. This lake however is rather larger 
than his Scottish lake, it being 290 miles long. It has 
the character of being the most tempestuous of all 
the lakes, a fact we were soon able to verify, for in 
the afternoon the wind increased to a gale, and the 



78 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

waves clashing against our vessel gave us each time a 
shock as if she had struck a rock. 

The ladies soon began to feel the effects of such 
tossing, and one after another retired to their berths 
quite ill. Forty-five miles from Buffalo we stopped 
at the town of Dunkirk, which is the termination of 
the New York and Erie rail road. It commences at 
Hudson river 25 miles above the city of New York, a 
distance of 450 miles from its end. This town, under 
these circumstances, is rising rapidly. It has a fine cir- 
cular bay having two projecting points which protect 
it, one and a half miles across — and is one of the best 
harbors upon the lake. There is also a pier within 
the shelter of which five large schooners were moored. 
We observed a rail road depot ready for the future 
engines and train — a church, tavern and a few stores. 
Several little boys came on board with pails of cher- 
ries for sale, which they disposed of at four cents a 
quart. Here we landed a passenger, an inhabitant of 
Dunkirk, who, during the voyage, had been vaunting 
the advantages of his town. The day would soon 
come, he said, when he should no longer resort to 
Buffalo for his goods, as the new rail road would bring 
all the trade to Dunkirk. Darkness drove us to our 
state room, which we found replete with every con- 
venience — a circumstance much to our satisfaction as 
we were to spend a week in it ere we reached our 
destined haven. 1 would recommend you if you ever 
travel this way, to choose, as we did, a state cabin 
looking towards the shore, for these boats stop at every 
considerable town, and of course keep near the coast. 
In consequence of this arrangement, we could, if in- 
clined, sit in our cabin, and through the open door, or 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 79 

window, behold the scenery at our ease ; while those 
upon the opposite side, gazed out upon an uniform 
waste of waters without a shore. I thus obtained a 
sight of the town of Erie where we stopped during 
the night. Aroused by the noise, I looked from my 
window and saw the town distinctly by clear starlight. 
This town is in Pennsylvania, and is the termination 
of the Pittsburg and Erie canal. In the canal basin, 
beside canal boats, I saw a large steamboat and seve- 
ral schooners. Presque Isle defends the harbor. There 
was a large hotel brightly illuminated, and some stage 
coaches, awaiting the arrival of passengers. Erie 
stands upon a high mass of Schistose rock surmounted 
by a stratum of clay — the whole forty feet above the 
lake.* There is said to be here a neat court house, 
and several pretty houses surrounded by trees — the 
streets are at right angles, and the trade considerable. 
There was a bridge spanning the canal, which 1 
hoped was the one where the revered La Fayette was 
feted. It was formed into a large tent by sails and 
flags, which had waved in the battle upon the lake, 
under which was a fine collation. Several ships of 
war have been built here. You will surely give me 
credit of being a first rate correspondent when I leave 
my slumbers to collect items for your amusement and 
edification. 

July 1st. — Early this morning we found ourselves 
oif Conneaut, which we looked upon with interest as 
belonging to the great state of Ohio. It is a small 
place, at the mouth of Conneaut creek near the boun- 
ilary line between Pennsylvania and Ohio — is a small 

* Darby. 



80 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

but flourishing place. The next town we passed was 
Ashtabula, or rather its landing place, the town being 
some miles in the interior. A wooden breakwater 
defends the harbor. A river of the same harmonious 
Indian designation empties itself into the lake sullying 
its pure acqua-marine, with a dark brown tint which 
could be distinctly seen a mile from the shore. The 
day is lovely — our boat glides swiftly upon her course. 
On one hand we have a line of green waving forest 
coast, where the oak, the elm, the linden, and the ma- 
ple, and stately yellow birch are standing in pretty 
groups, or gracefully bending over the water — upon 
the other we have a shoreless ocean. For miles there 
are no signs of human existence, and then some little 
village appears with its invariable accompaniment, a 
pier, lighthouse and schooner. We passed Fairport, 
at the mouth of Grand river, and from thence the 
ground begins to rise, being a band of argillaceous 
schist, which extends to Cleveland. This is a beau- 
tiful town standing upon this formation mixed with 
sand and pebbles elevated sixty or seventy feet above 
the lake of which it commands a fine prospect. It 
was a pretty object in our view as we approached, its 
steeples and buildings crowning the summit of the 
picturesque cliff. We lay here some hours taking 
merchandise, thus enjoying sufficient time to examine 
it. The steamboat passed up, the Cuyahoga river 
through two piers each 1200 feet in length. Upon 
each side the ground arose from the river covered 
with the buildings of two rival towns, Cleveland and 
Ohio city. The business streets are upon the banks of 
the Cuyahoga river, and the wharves were lined with 
vessels, merchandise and native buckeyes, as the Ohio 



A SUBIMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 81 

people are called after their beautiful tree. Cleve- 
land is built upon a plain j the streets running at right- 
angles, wide and airy with a pretty square in the cen- 
tre. There are six churches, a neat court house, 
banks, public library, and many handsome dwelling 
houses. The population is 7,000 and several newspa- 
pers and periodicals are published here.* It is 170 
miles from Buffalo. We had been a day and a half 
reaching it, on account of our frequent stoppages. 
This beinar the northern termination of the Ohio 
canal a great deal of business is done here. Their 
trade in flour and wheat is very great, they having 
exported nearly a million of barrels of flour in one sea- 
son — cotton, tobacco and other southern merchandise 
has passed up from the Ohio river through the canal. 
This canal runs the whole length of the state of Ohio 
to Portsmouth upon the Ohio river a distance of 309 
miles. It is forty feet wide, four deep, and has 152 
locks.f The Cuyahoga river is sixty three miles in 
length, and running down over the sandstone ledges 
which abound in that region, it has a fall of 240 feet, 
affording a fine water power. From Buffalo to the 
borders of Michigan there is a band of alluvion upon the 
lake shore from three to twenty miles in width. This 
is bounded by a ridge of rocks 40 or 50 feet high once, 
according to Darby and Schoolcraft, the original boun- 
dary of the lake, thus giving another proof that these 
lakes were once higher than at present they are. 
This ridge is composed of micaceous limestone, and 

* Smith's Western Tourist. 

•f Among the articles arrived at Cleveland from the Ohio Canal this year 
were — 504,900>arrels of flour ; 167,045 bushels of coal ; 932 hhds. tobacco ; 
2,252,491 lbs., of iron and nails ; besides numerous other articles of mer- 
chandise. 



82 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

schistose rocks, covered with farms, and groves of 
beech and oak which attain to a large size. Yester- 
day afternoon while sailing upon the lake, we observed 
these hills making a pretty back ground to the towns 
on the shore — now it trends too much to the interior 
to be seen. In this ridge arise waters which flow 
each way, some into lake Erie, and others, as the 
Muskingum and Alleghany, into the valley of the 
Ohio. This last river, becoming the Ohio, falls into 
the gulf of Mexico * upwards of twelve degrees 
of latitude from its source.' * Successive ledges or 
steppes of sandstone rock lead down to the lake, over 
which the rivers flow in rapids or falls, making the 
scenery in that region very beautiful. We took in at 
Cleveland several barrels of flour, and nails, and 
Selma salt, and boxes of merchandise, — landed several 
passengers, and then left this interesting town. It 
must, I imagine be a very delightful place of residence. 
The Cuyahoga could be distinctly traced some distance 
from the shore in a long dark line. 

The swell in the lake still continuing, most of our 
passengers had become too ill to leave their berths. 
A horse which was at the other end of the vessel also 
became affected. Our German emigrants felt it least, 
as they had been seasoned by crossing the Atlantic. 
I saw them seated upon their packages, eating brown 
bread and cheese as merrily as ever. Their passage 
costs them little as they provide their own frugal fare, 
and sleep upon their goods on the deck. Several 
others pursued this economical plan. The emigrants 
from the German and Swiss nations are invaluable to 
us and ought to be warmly received, for in industry, 

* Darby. 



A SUMMER. JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 83 

economy and patience, they set a very excellent exam- 
ple to our extravagant people. They always succeed 5 
their settlements and farms present an admirable 
order and neatness, and yield a rich reward to their 
patient labor. The restless spirit, the excitement, 
caused by a hope of rising in the world, of seeing no 
one above him, which animates the American bosom, 
and many of our transplanted brethren, never agitates 
them. Where they plant themselves they remain, 
and in labor and social duties, pass the even tenor of. 
their way. The motion, rendered it impossible to 
walk, or even stand unless supported, and instead of 
being unpleasant to me, I have seldom experienced 
sensations so novel and delightful. My companion 
being an old traveller felt no ill effects from it either. 
Leaning over the railing, we watched the vessel as 
she surmounted one huge wave to sink again as soon. 
The fresh western breeze, breathing perfume from the 
forest clad shores, exhilerated our spirits, and spread 
forth our star-spangled banner in a bright canopy over 
our heads. Two noble steamboats filled with passen- 
gers from the ' far west ' passed us with their banners 
flying, the bells of the three boats ringing out their 
friendly salutations to each other. They are gone — 
the white foam of their track alone remaining to 
show where so many human beings had just been 
wafted away. How glorious was that sunset on lake 
Erie ! Dark and stormy clouds had gradually gath- 
ered from every quarter, and now dropped down as a 
veil over the west concealing the sun from our view, 
and the lake is one vast gloomy abyss. But see — 
some fairy hand has touched the clouds with gold and 
purple and every gorgeous hue — the surface of the 



84 A SUMMER JOITRNEY IN THE WEST, 

water is streaked with rose, and every wave is gilded. 
The towers of Cleveland now distinctly painted 
against the dark horizon, are glittering as if cut from 
jewelry. Our fears of storms are vanishing, when 
suddenly a black terrific cloud spotted with fiery 
blood color, appeared in front of us, as if the Indian 
Manitou had arisen from the lake to arrest our pro- 
gress and forbid our farther entrance into his domin- 
ions. Larger and larger it grew, until the heavens 
were covered with inky blackness. A terrible blast 
lashed the lake into fury — the waves arose in their 
might as if to reject us from its bosom — our vessel 
careened fearfully upon one side, and confusion ensued. 
Men hurried forward to remove the merchandise to 
the other side and trim the vessel — women's heads 
were, from the cabin doors asking 'what's the matter' 
and torrents of rain are surging over the deck. The 
awnings are buttoned down — all is proclaimed tight 
and right, and we retired to our state-room to listen to 
the wail of the wind, and write our promised jour- 
nals. 



LETTER VI. 

July 2, 1840.- 
Dear E. — Rocked by the tempest we slept soundly, 
but arose in time to witness a glorious sunrise scene 
upon lake Erie. We were in the centre of the lake—- 
no land was visible on either side, save two lonely 
islands, one of which was just vanishing upon the dis- 
tant horizon, while the other one was only a short 
distance from our vessel. Suddenly a dazzling radi- 
ance shot up from the east, and in a few moments the 
sun came rushing from out the water as if in eager 
haste to greet his favorite lake* A flood of glory 
lighted up the green depths of Erie j tinging the foam 
with a thousand prismatic hues, and tipping with gold 
the white plumage of the birds which were soaring 
over our heads. The dark alleys of beech, maple, and 
hickory which covered the island, and its pebbly shore 
covered with diamond spray, were illumined with the 
morning rays, receiving new beauty from every touch. 
We were stretching from Sandusky bay upon the 

Ohio shore to the Detroit river j many islands were 

8 



86 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

passed, some of them quite large. Cuningham island 
contains 2,000 acres. They are of limestone rock 
covered with forest trees. Here Avas the scene of the 
famous naval battle upon lake Erie, and these peaceful 
glades once echoed with the cannon's roar. I regret- 
ted not seeing Sandusky, a large and pretty town, situ- 
ated upon a river and bay of the same name. Here 
also is the mouth of the Maumee river, or the Miami 
of the lakes, northern termination of the great canal 
which commences at Cincinnati, and is connected 
with the canals of Indiana. 

Land began to appear upon our western quarter, and 
soon the State of Michio^an became visible. The 
mouth of Detroit river was soon after seen here, five 
miles wide from the Canadian shore to Michigan. At 
Amherstburg, a small Canadian town, we stopped about 
seven o'clock, for the purpose of taking in wood. The 
flashing of bayonets and the red uniform, as the sen- 
tinel walked up and down the wharf, told us we were 
in a land belonging to another nation. Fort Maiden 
is passed soon after. Upon a platform, in front of the 
fortress, a file of soldiers were going through their 
exercises, their brilliant scarlet dresses and arms, pret- 
tily flashing back the morning sun. A boat, filled with 
red-coated soldiers, was passing over to an island to 
relieve the guard which stood upon a romantic point, 
near his little sentry box. A large ship came rapidly 
down the river, with all its sails out, looking like a 
huge bird of prey winging his flight to the shore, 
adding to the variety of the scene. Detroit is a beau- 
tiful river, connecting lakes St. Clair and Erie. Its 
width is generally about a mile — opposite Detroit city 
three-fourths of a mile. The shores are very beauti- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 87 

ful, cultivated upon each side, with several pretty- 
islands in the centre. Upon the Canadian side we 
observed several French settlements, their windmills 
upon every point giving a novel and unique effect to the 
scene. We did not reach Detroit until ten o'clock, 
although it is only 19 miles from the mouth of the river, 
owing to our delay in taking in wood. The city ap- 
peared well, covering a plateau of ground elevated 40 
feet above the river. Three steamboats were in sight as 
we approached, one being a ferry boat to the town of 
Sandwich, opposite. As we were to remain here some 
time we landed and walked about the city. The city 
stands upon a plain which commands an extensive view 
of the river and surrounding country. Abroad street 
runs through the centre called Jefferson avenue, lined 
on each side with shops and hotels. At the upper end 
are several handsome dwellings surrounded with gar- 
dens. The churches are common in their appearance, 
except the catholic, which I must say was uncommon. 
It is a large building of unpainted wood, having two odd 
looking steeples exactly alike, in the centre of the front ; 
at the back is a dome having on each side a belfrey. Ad- 
joining this is the residence of the Bishop, a large 
brick building. I was disappointed in the appearance 
of this city. It was built by the French, you know, 
in 1670, and being so much older than Rochester or 
Buffalo, we naturally supposed it would be larger than 
it is. But the same causes do not operate here which 
influence the prosperity of the other cities. It has 
not the old and settle state of New York behind it, 
nor the great canal. Michigan, of which Detroit is 
the capital, has been recently settled, and that only in 
the southern parts. The fur trade was for years its 



88 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

main dependence, and that has of late fallen off very 
much. As man invades the recesses of the forest, the 
animals retreat before him. Detroit has, however, 
felt the wind in her sails, and is rapidly following af- 
ter her southern sisters. Of this, the increase of 
population is one proof — 2,222 being their number in 
1830, and 1839, 9,278. Several railroads are planned 
out, which, when the river and lakes are filled with 
ice, will be of much service. Of these, the Detroit 
and St. Joseph are the principal — leading from this city 
across the State to lake Michigan, a distance of 194 
miles ; 33 miles are completed. Many persons take 
this route to Chicago, in preference to the more ex- 
tensive one around the lakes. Besides these, there 
are in contemplation the Detroit and Pontiac j Shelby 
and Detroit, &;c. Michigan will soon fill up, as its 
population has increased since 1830, seven hmidred 
per cent. ; then it was 28,600, and now, in 1840, they 
count 211,205. Detroit will then be the great depot 
of the lakes, and bids fair to rival the neighboring 
cities. Here we landed our German emigrants, who 
were bound to tlie rich plains of Michigan. Upon the 
wharf were men busily engaged packing white fish 
salted, with barrels, fifty of which we took on board. 
The white fish is a delicious fish, something the form of 
our shad, averaging from 4 to 10 lbs. and sometimes 
weigh 14 lbs. There is a great trade of this fish upon 
the lakes. 30,000 barrels were exported from Cleveland 
this season. While passing the city, when we had 
resumed our voyage, we observed several rows of 
handsome ware houses, many of which seemed as if 
newly erected. We also noticed a large brick build- 
ing erected for the hydraulic works which supply the 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 89 

city with water, it being in these lakes fit for cooking, 
washing and drinking. This city is the scene of one 
of Pontiac exploits. He was one of those brave and 
haughty spirits who cannot accustom themselves to 
the yoke of the white men. Of these, a few have ap- 
peared in latter years ; Black Hawk being the last. 
The French he had become accustomed to, and suf- 
fered their presence in his realms, but when another 
nation appeared he determined to root them out the 
land. They were at peace apparently, but a deceitful 
peace, for Pontiac was organizing a confederacy 
against the English, who then occupied Detroit. 
' There was no sounding of the toscin, no alarm of 
war given, no motion of the waves were felt,' to quote 
the words of McKenney — ' In this moment of stilh 
ness, a scout returned bringing the intelligence that a 
large body of Indians were crossing lake St. Clair in 
canoes, and coming in the direction of Detroit, while 
numerous bands were appearing at every point.' Pon- 
tiac appeared in the neighborhood with 3,000 warriors, 
who, in a friendly manner approached the fort, erected 
their wigwarms, and commenced their Indian games, 
to lull all suspicion. That very band, unknown to the 
English, had just returned from the bloody massacre 
of Fort Michilimackinack, which they had surprised 
in the manner they now intended. Major Gladwin, 
however, suspected them, and admitted only six In- 
dians at a time in the fort. The wily Pontiac at length 
succeeded in having a council held at the fort, and 
was permitted to attend with thirty-six chiefs. Their 
rifles were cut short and hid under their robes, with 
which they were to shoot down the officers and seize 

the fort. Were it not for the fidelity of a squaw to 

8* 



90 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

her master in the fort, the plan would have succeeded. 
As it was, they suffered severely from famine, and 
many were cut off who came to reinforce them, before 
the Indians finally retreated. Ten miles from Detroit 
the river gradually expands into lake St. Clair. A pretty 
Like — a most sweet lake — appearing small among its 
larger sisters, and yet it is 90 miles in circumference. 
The waters are cool and transparent, fringed with the 
graceful ash, the linden, ' tasseled gentle,' the beech, 
and the stately liorio dendron, and many other varie- 
ties. We felt reluctant to enter and ruffle the glassy 
surface, and disturb the profound repose which reigned 
around. The shores are low and there are no houses 
in sight. A wood cutter's hut, and at its extremity, a 
light-house, were the only signs of life we saw. The 
trees were throwing their flickering shadows upon the 
placid water, or leaning over, as if to admire their own 
reflection so perfectly painted upon the mirrored sur- 
face,— 

In which the massy forest grew, 

As if in upper air ; 
More perfect both in shape and hue, 

Than any waving there. 

If you do not choose to emigrate to any of those 
charming spots I have mentioned along the road ; if Au- 
burn, or Rochester, or Cleveland do not lure you, per- 
haps yon would like to come to the picturesque shores 
of St. Clair, and weave you a bower ' in some sweet 
solitary nook' under those trees of ' ancient beauty f or 
erect a picturesque hermitage with a pet skull, and 
moralize and spiritualize your hours away. I have 
heard many declare they could better worship their 
Creator in the fields and woods than in temples made 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 91 

with hands, and can 'look from nature up to nature's 
God.' I fear such are greatly deceived in the nature 
of their feelings, and many a lonely anchorite has 
thus mistaken adoration of the beauties of creation for 
worship of its Creator. His heart may be filled with the 
most elevated emotions while contemplating the glory 
and grandeur of God's works, and he maybe subdued 
to tears of tenderness while reflecting upon that kind- 
ness and mercy which has adorned the residence of 
man with such exquisite loveliness j but will that re. 
generate his heart '? will it give him a knowledge of 
his Savior ; shew him the mysteries of faith and re- 
demption, and subject his will to that of Christ 1 If 
so, let him live upon a mountain top, and gaze at will ', 
but I much fear these sentiments are but the ' sem- 
blance of sacredness.' 

The shores of St. Clair, being low,, display the rise 
which has taken place in these northern lakes. That 
there is a rise and fall in this singular mass of fresh 
water has been observed for many years j and many 
opinions have been hazarded as to its cause. Some 
of the Indians declare there is a regular rise and fall 
every seven years; while the scientific traveller. 
Darby, tells us there is a rise once in fifty years. A 
person, upon whose knowledge we could rely, told us 
at Buffalo, one year, while he resided upon the banks of 
the St. Lawrence, the current ran out of lake Ontario 
at the rate of ten miles, and the next year the lake 
had unaccountably risen, and ran thirteen miles an 
hour. It must have been one of those extraordinary 
floods, of course much higher, which caused the lakes 
to overflow, as I have mentioned above — that is, if it 
were not a diluvial torrent. The captain of our steam- 



92 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

boat, who had navigated these lakes for several years, 
a man of mtelligence and integrity, agreed with the 
Indians in the belief of a gradual rise and fall in seven 
years. During these last two years the water has 
risen to the height of five or six feet. Our captain 
pointed to many spots, upon the shore, where the 
water had overflowed the land. Upon one pretty 
place a farm house had been abandoned, and a fine 
apple orchard, standing two years in the water, had 
been destroyed j and now, while all around was green, 
their limbs were bare and leafless. A very intelligent 
man, a settler upon the river St. Clair, pointed to several 
noble maple and beech trees, as we passed the Michi- 
gan shore, whose gradual decay he had watched, 
while making his spring and fall trips in order to pur- 
chase goods in New York. It was pitiable, he said, 
to behold such goodly trees, 'green robed senators of 
ancient woods,' sinking beneath the subtle destroyer, 
as some noble heart withering away at the touch of 
affliction! He watched them with an interest he 
would a friend consuming under a slow decay — their 
glorious beauty dimmed and faded, until a lifeless 
skeleton alone remained. 

" a huge oak dry and dead, 
Still clad with relics of its trophies old, 
Lifting to heaven its aged hoary head, 
Whose foot on earth hath got but feeble hold." 

This man's history interested us much, and I will 
relate it for your edification. He was a native of our 
city of New York, one of a large family straightened 
for means. While quite young he had married, and 
struggled for years to support his family respectably, 
but sickness and 'bad times' rendered his lot a gloomy 
one. Hearing so often of the happiness and pros- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 93 

perity of ' the west,' he resolved to remove thither, 
and accordingly bought a tract of land upon St. Clair 
river, then farther west than it now is. He came here 
twenty years since, with a wife and several young 
children, and a mere trifle in money. A little village 
has now risen around him, of which he is the owner. 
He has built a good tavern for travellers, which he 
rents out.j has erected a saw-mill j a few shops and 
houses, and a little church. His children are married 
and settled around him 5 and he is, as he expressed 
himself, * independent of the world.' Once a year he 
goes to New York or Buffalo, to purchase goods for 
his shop. How much better is this state of things 
than to remain, struggling for a morsel, among the 
hungry croAvd of a large city. I asked him if he never 
repented renouncing a city life. ' No, indeed !' he 
answered — ' I go there once or twice a year to trans- 
act business, but hurry away, for I feel as if in prison. 
I want elbow room, and never breathe free until 
threading my green lakes and vast forests again. I 
am glad to leave such fictitious existence, where each 
man models his conduct upon that of his neighbor, 
and dare not act as his spirit prompts him.' We had 
passed into St. Clair river, and about sun-down drop 
ped this man and his goods at his little village, which 
was seated upon a green slope, cut out of the forest, 
upon the Micliigan shore. The houses were sur- 
rounded by little gardens and seemed comfortable. 
The sign of the village inn was swinging in the sum- 
mer breeze ; a traveller had just alighted from his 
horse in front of the piazza, and the steam from his 
mill was rising high above the trees tinted purple in 
the evening light. From a shop door a young man, 



94 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

probably his son, accompanied by a neighbor, stepped 
forth to greet himj while, from the honeysuckle-cov- 
ered porch of a neat cottage a woman, whom I fancied 
his wife, was looking eagerly out to watch his ap- 
proach. Every thing denoted industry, cheerfulness, 
and independence. 

Soon after leaving the village of Clay, we observed 
a ship at anchor near the shore, quite a picturesque 
object. It proved to be the Milwaukie, a ship of three 
hundred tons burthen, bound from Buffalo to Chicago. 
It was waiting for wind, or steam, to enable it to enter 
lake Huron, as this lake pours into the river St. Clair 
with so strong a current, that vessels can seldom stem 
it without a strono- wind. She was soon attached to our 
steamboat, and we both passed swiftly along. What 
a superb western sky! The sun has long left us, and 
yet we scarcely miss its light, so golden and so bril- 
liant is the mantle he has left behind him. It is nearly 
nine o'clock, and yet I can see to write thisj but 
fatigue drives me to my cabin, and forces me to say 
adieu until to-morrow. 

July 3d. — Still in the river St. Clair. We stopped 
some hours in the night at Newport, to take in a supply 
of wood. The captain purchased eighty cords at 
$ 1,50 a cord. He told us it was his opinion the steam- 
boats upon these waters would soon be obliged to burn 
coal, although surrounded by such a world of trees, 
as there is so much time wasted in stopping for it. 
I did not regret our detention, as I was anxious to 
lose no part of a scenery to me so novel and pleasing. 
This is a beautiful river about sixty miles long, and 
half a mile broad, having several little towns upon it. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 95 

Cotrelville and Palmer we had also passed in the night ; 
the latter a thriving place, from which a rail road is 
contemplated to Romeo, twenty-six miles, there to 
meet the Shelby and Detroit rail road. A communi- 
cation will thus be continued with Detroit through 
the winter. The country upon the Canadian shore is 
wild and uninhabited, while the Michigan side of the 
river is frequently adorned with fields of grass or 
wheat, or thrifty orchards. The houses are plain, but 
seemed surrounded by every comfort. Our course 
ran quite near this shore, so close, that 1 might fancy 
myself transported into the midst of a farm yard, with 
all its morning business going on. A pretty white 
wood house is before me now, surrounded by fields 
and barns, having a row of cherry trees in front whose 
fruit is glistening red in the morning sun. In the 
barn yard a man is chopping wood, to cook the break- 
fast, I suppose — another is busy hoeing in a potatoe 
field — a boy is leading a horse down to the river for 
water, while numerous other children are arrested in 
their play and stand open mouthed gazing at us — ducks 
are dabbling in the wavelets — pigs are rooting up the 
turf — a flock of geese are running down the bank at 
us with beaks and wings extended in a warlike atti- 
tude — while a sober cow chews her cud under a large 
hickory nut tree. The next moment all is gone, to 
give place to the silent groves of oak, maple and ash. 
Upon a long narrow island near the Canadian shore, 
my eyes were attracted by what seemed a row of hay- 
stacks. I enquired the meaning, and was told 1 was 
looking upon an Indian village, and these were wig- 
wams. I was delighted to behold a veritable Indian 
lodge, and to see real Indians, instead of those half 



96 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

civilized beings I had met at Niagara. They are a 
body of Chippeway Indians who reside upon Warpole 
Island under the care of a Missionary of the Methodist 
church. Their wigwams consisted of poles meeting 
at top, around which, coarse matting, formed of reeds 
is fastened. From the apex of these cones smoke 
was rising, telling of culinary operations going on 
within. Around each lodge was a small patch of po- 
tatoes or corn. A small church, with the missionary 
cottage and a few log cabins, were in the midst. 
Groups of Indians were lounging upon the bank gazing 
at us, while others unconcernedly pursued their usual 
occupations of fishing or hoeing. How much more 
graceful were those wild sons of the forest, than the 
civilized men I had observed upon the shores I had 
passed. Their mantles of cloth or blanket stuff, trim- 
med with gay colors, were gracefully thrown around 
them, and their ornamented leggins or moccasins 
glittered as they walked. How dignified is the tread 
of an Indian ! we remarked as we passed the island, 
many in various occupations and attitudes, yet they 
never moA'^ed awkwardly, nor sprang, nor jumped in a 
clumsy manner. The missionary cottage was an ob- 
ject of great interest to us. I had often read of these 
self-denying disciples of Jesus, but never before looked 
upon the scene of their labors. Here in this lonely 
shore, away from all they love — their friends and 
home — and almost shut out from the face of civilized 
man, they spend their days in laboring to ameliorate 
the lot of these unhappy children of the forest. In 
bringing them to the feet of their master, they are 
indeed conferring a blessing upon them past all re- 
turn. As a recompense for the bright land their 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 97 

fathers have taken from the bereaved Indian, they are 
leading them to another, brighter and more lasting. 
There is no change, nor shadow of tm*ning — there, 
no enemy can destroy their homes — there, the tears 
are wiped from their eyes, and all their sorrows 
soothed. Noble missionary, who can appreciate thy 
sacrifice 1 None but those who have come from a 
civilized land, where thou hast passed thy early days, 
and who now sees thee among the endless forests 
with no associates save those wretched savages, can 
understand the greatness of thy disinterestedness. 
During the short summer, a residence may be tolera- 
ble, but when the rivers and lakes are choaked up by 
ice, the short glimpse he has obtained of his 
fellow man, while whirled past in a steamboat, will 
be denied him. The roar of the winter wind will 
shake his cottagfe, and the wolf will scare him from 
his slumbers. But what are earthly joys or sorrows 
to a child of Christ 1 His meat and drink is to do the 
will of him that sent him, and in return for the com- 
forts and pleasures of civilized life, he receives a 
peace ' the world cannot give' — a joy, David in all the 
glory of his kingly life sighed for, when he prayed 
' Give me the joy of thy salvation.' A small settle- 
ment is formed at the mouth of Black river, called 
Port Huron, which is to be the termination of another 
canal across the state. 

Here we found another vessel waiting for wind. It 
was the brig Rocky Mountain, bound to Green Bay, 
being attached to our other side we passed ' doubly 
armed.' Near the point where the river leaves lake 
Huron stands fort Gratiot, an United States military 

station whose white walls and buildings, over which the 

9 



98 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

American flag was waving, looked out brightly from 
among the dark forest of the Michigan shore. A line 
of blue coats were going through their morning drill ; 
and a few cannons looked out fiercely upon us. A 
small white Gothic church, and a cottage stood near ; 
the whole making a pretty cabinet picture. The river 
now narrowed to a quarter of a mile, upon each side 
a point — the American side crowned by a light-house, 
and the Canadian by a cluster of Indian cabins. A 
bark canoe, paddled by five Indians, pushed off the 
shore and came after us with the greatest rapidity, 
their long black hair flying wildly behind them. Our 
two vessels retarded our motion a little, so that the 
Indians overtook us, and kept at our side for some 
distance. They used their paddles with astonishing 
quickness, and we were surprised to see them in their 
' light canoe,' keep pace with our large steamboat. It 
was however for a short distance only — they were 
soon fatigued with such great exertion, and turned 
towards the point, and sprang out, or rather stepped 
out with the greatest dignity, drew the canoe to the 
shore, and then squatted down upon the bank evi- 
dently enjoying their race. I use the above inelegant 
word, as being very expressive of their posture. The 
Indian never sits down as we do — with his feet close 
beside each other, and his body erect, he sinks slowly 
down — his blanket is then thrown over his head and 
around his feet, so that nothing is seen except his dark 
glaring eyes. Through the narrow pass before men- 
tioned, between the two points, the waters of Huron 
run with a swift current. Here we were furnished with 
another evidence of the rise of these waters. 

An oflnicer of the army and his wife were our fellow 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 99 

voyagers, very intelligent and agreeable persons. 
They had been stationed at fort Gratiot a few years 
since, and had frequently roved over the beach around 
the light-house in search of the pretty silecious peb- 
bles, agate, camelian, and calcedony, which are often 
found upon these shores. To their surprise, they now 
found their favorite point, ' curtailed of its fair pro- 
portions' by a rise of nearly five feet of water. Our 
steamboat and its two ' tenders,' passed between the 
points out of St Clair river, and we found ourselves 
at once in a large and shoreless lake, with nothing in 
front, between us and the bright blue sky, which 
touched the green waters in the far horizon beyond. 
The transition is so sudden from the narrow opening, 
to the boundless lake as to produce a grand and excit- 
ing effect. Once out upon the calm waters of Huron, 
our two guests were loosened from their tackles, and 
spreading their huge wings, they passed one to each 
shore, and we soon left them far behind. About an 
hour after, the bell of our steamboat startled the still 
lake with its clamors, denoting the approach of some 
vessel. We looked out in time to see the noble 
steamboat Great Western rush past us as if upon the 
wings of a whirlwind. She was on her way from Chi- 
cago to Buffalo. Her bell answered ours, and the deck 
was crowded with passengers. One of these standing 
alone by himself, and taking his hat off attracted our 
notice and we discovered in him an old acquaintance 
from New York. These meetings in a distant land 
are very interesting, carrying our feelings at once to 
the home we had left. This steamboat is one of the 
largest upon the lakes, is finished in a style of great 



100 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

elegance, and is said to be as long as the English 
steamship of the same name. 

This whole day since ten o'clock — we have been 
passing through Huron under a cloudless sky. The 
lake is two hundred and fifty-five miles long, and its 
waters are of a deeper tint than those we have passed, 
owing to its great depth, as we are sailing over nine 
hundred feet of water, while in some places it is said 
to be unfathomable. The color is a dark olive almost 
black, and it is only when the sun shines through the 
waves that we can perceive they are green. The 
cause of the various colors of water has produced 
many a hypothesis. Sir Humphry Davy tells us the 
primitive color of water is like the sky, a delicate 
azure. * He says ' the finest water is that which falls 
from the atmosphere — this we can rarely obtain in its 
pure state, as all artificial contact gives more or less 
of contamination 5 but, in snow melted by the sunbeams 
that has fallen upon glaciers, themselves formed from 
frozen snow, may be regarded as in its state of greatest 
purity. Congelation expels both salt and air from 
water whether existing below, or formed in the atmos- 
phere j and in the high and uninhabited region of 
glaciers, there can scarcely be any substances to con- 
taminate. Removed from animal and vegetable life, 
they are even above the mineral kingdom.' Water 
from melted snow, then considered as the purest. Sir 
Humphrey goes on to describe its color. ' When a 
mass is seen through, it is a bright blue, and according 
to its greater or less depth of substance, it has more 
or less of this color.' ' In general when examining 
lakes and masses of water in high mountains, their 

* Salmonia. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 101 

color is the same bright azure. Capt. Parry states 
that water in the Polar ice has the like beautiful tint.' 
The brown, green, and other colors of rivers he im- 
putes to substances over which they flow, as peat 
bogs, vegetable and mineral substances. He allows 
the sea cannot be colored from any thing upon the 
bottom, but imputes the tint to the infusion of iodine, 
and brome which he has detected in sea water, the 
result of decayed marine vegetables. Of this primi- 
tive water are our lakes formed, originating as they 
do in regions of snow and ice. Lake Superior, from 
whence they flow, is a vast basin of trap rock, of vol- 
canic origin. * It is the most magnificent body of 
water in the world, five hundred miles long, and nine 
hundred deep, and perfectly pellucid. Into this pure, 
and originally, azure primitive water, there flow forty 
rivers, upon the south side alone, according to Mr. 
McKenney of the Indian department, who counted 
this number from St Mary's to the river St Louis. 
These rivers he tells us are all amber colored. Why 
then may not these yellow rivers flowing into blue 
water, produce green. You see I like to hazard a 
hypothesis as well as others. I hope you will not call 
this absurd. Col. McKenney himself, imputes the 
green color to reflection of the ' rays of light pass- 
ing through the foliage of the shores, conveying their 
own green hue unto the surface of the water from 
which they are reflected.' This might be the case in 
small rivers or lakes, but it cannot thus tint such a 
vast extent of water. A writer in the American Jour- 
nal of Science, is of opinion the color of water is 
reflected from the sky, and is blue, dull, black, or 

■* Schoolcraft. 

9# 



102 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

golden, as the sky may be — and that ' green is pro- 
duced in water, by the yellow light of the sun mixed 
with the cerulean blue through which it shines.' On 
the contrary the Count Xavier de Maistre, * does not 
impute the color of water to any infused substance, 
nor to reflection from above, but reflection from the 
surface below, ' as the blue color of the sky is owing 
to reflection from the earth beneath.' ' Limpid waters, 
when they have suflicient depth,' says the Count, 
reflect like air, a blue color from below, — and this 
arises from a mixture of air, which water always con- 
tains to a greater or lesser amount. This blue color, 
being the primitive hue of water is sometimes clouded 
or lost by earthy infusion, or reflections from a colored 
sky. The green tinge which he sometimes observed 
in water, he tells us, is occasioned by reflection from 
a white surface below. This he proves by his experi- 
ment of a sheet of tin painted white let down beneath 
the water — and his description of the water in the 
beautiful limestone grotto, on the shore of the Medite- 
ranian at Capri. The green tint observed in the 
ocean is only seen when it is so shallow, as to reflect 
the sun's rays from the earth beneath it. 

As the States surroundinof these lakes are more or 
less underlaid by limestone, we may suppose the bot- 
toms of the waters are in some places paved with it ; 
and from this, or the shores under the water and 
around it, may be reflected, according to the Count's 
theory, the light which gives the water a green appear- 
ance. But I will not trouble you with any more specu- 
lations} they come with an ill grace from me who 

* Biblistheque Universelle, translated by J. Griscom, in the American 
Journal of Science. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 103 

only pretend to describe all that passes before my 
eyes. 

In the afternoon we were off Saginaw bay, an inden- 
tation in the coast of Michigan running seventy or 
eighty miles deep and forty wide, making the lake 
here very broad ; in one spot we were out of sight of 
the land. A river of the same name floAvs into the 
bay, upon which, about twenty-three miles from its 
mouth, is a small town. A canal is proposed from 
this bay, across the state to lake Michigan, at Grand 
or Washtenog river. How shall I convey to you an 
idea of the loveliness which sat upon earth, air, and 
water this afternoon ! Certainly that sunset upon lake 
Huron is the most beautiful I have ever beheld. The 
vast and fathomless lake, bounded by the heavens 
alone, presented an immense circle, ' calm as a molten 
looking-glass,' — to quote from my favorite Job — sur- 
rounded by a band of fleecy clouds, making a frame 
work of chased silver. Slowly and gracefully sank 
the orb, the white clouds gently dispersing at his 
approach, and leaving their monarch a free and glo- 
rious path. As he drew near that chrystal floor, all 
brilliancy faded from the face of the lake, save one 
bright pathway from the sun to us — like the bridge of 
Giamschid leading from earth to heaven. The sun 
which I had always been accustomed to see above, 
was now below me, near the water, on the water, 
under the water ! A veil of purple is thrown over it, 
and now the sun sleeps on lake Huron. The gold 
and rose which painted the western sky have gone. 
Darkness has stolen over the world below, and we 
turn our eyes above. What a high and noble dome 
of loveliest blue ! Upon one side there hangs a cres- 



lO^ A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

cent of the purest pearly white, while at its side steals 
forth one silver star, soon follow^ed, as, saith Ezekiel, 
by 'all the bright lights of heaven,' until night's star- 
embroidered drapery is canopied around us. What 
bosom is insensible to this gorgeous firmament 1 Who 
hath not felt the 'sweet influence of the Pleiades' 
while gazing at this starry roof above 1 I wish I could 
make you a piece of poetry upon this subject, but as 
there is enough already composed upon the stars, 1 
will send you a bit of Byron and tell you — 

Blue roll the waters — blue the sky 
Spreads like an ocean hung on high, 
Bespangled with those isles of light, 
So wildly spiritually bright, 
Whoever gazed upon them shining, 
And turned to earth without repining. 

Do you remember that little hymn our old nurse used 
to teach us in our childhood : 

Twinkle, twinkle, pretty star 
Can't you tell us what you are, 
Up above the world so high 
Like a diamond in the sky. 

Yes, from childhood to manhood, we wish to pene- 
trate into the mysteries of those golden regions, and 
ever ask them to tell us 'what you are.' We see 
them gem the night with their lustrous beauty ; we 
watch them as they pace their azure courts, and lose 
ourselves in high imaginings, too vast for us, while 
earth still keeps our souls its prisoner. How much 
deeper must be the interest with which the astrologer 
of old followed them in their 'golden tracks.' In 
them he read his destiny, and thought to see the 
scenes of earth reflected in their light. How must 
he have gazed upon them, as their rays paled or 
brightened, while reading in them ' the fate of man and 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 105 

empires.' Man's efforts to penetrate the mysteries of 
these glorious creations have not been all in vain. 
The Almighty architect, from time to time, graciously 
bestows upon him, knowledge of ' parts of his ways.' 
How much more has been vouchsafed to us than to 
the early nations. Looking back through the vista of 
the past, we shall see great men appear, as ' stars to 
rule the night^ of our darkness and tell us of creation's 
mysteries. Solomon, Ptolemy, Gallileo, Copernicus, 
Tycho Brahe, Paschal, Newton, Herschel, with a host 
of satellites, have been graciously shown the book of 
knowledge, to light man's pathway through the earth, 
and enlarge his ideas of the magnificence and the be- 
nevolence of his Creator. ' In the beginning,' it did 
not enter into God's purpose to tell mankind more of 
the starry host, than that they were 'lights to rule the 
night,' and for 'signs and for seasons;' now see what 
amazing things have been shown to us. We know 
they are worlds like our own, filled with mountains 
and seas; having night and day, summer and winter. 
We see their fields, now white with snow, now dark 
with returning vegetation. How our hearts bound 
with hopes of future knowledge; and imagine the time 
will come, when we can gaze upon their landscapes, 
and 'listen to the hum of their mighty population.'* 
We have seen nature in all its power and grandeur, 
while tossed on Erie's waves, or listening to the thun- 
der of Niagara ; but here she is at rest in all her quiet 
loveliness ; and Avould her worshippers behold her in 
her fairest mood, let them come and gaze at evening 
on lake Huron. 

* Chalmers. 



106 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

July 4:th. — The sun and I arose at the same time. 
When I left my state-room, as if waiting to greet me, 
it arose majestically from the bosom of the water, 
flooding the lake with light. No land was descried 
upon the east, but we were near the Michigan shore 
off Thunder bay. The Shanewaging islands which 
stretch across it were distinctly visible, and presented 
various beauties of shape and tint. All trace of man 
has now disappeared, for the northern part of Michi- 
gan has never been settled owing to the intense cold 
of the winters. We have passed a long line of coast 
without ; ny inhabitant (except a forlorn woodman's 
hut in one spot) stretching for two hundred and fifty 
miles, covered with boundless forests, in whose green 
recesses there are paths ' which no fowl knoweth, 
and which the vultures eye hath not seen.' Here is 
the home of the bear, the elk, and the moose-deer — 
and upon the aspen, oak, and maple trees, sport the blue 
bird the robin, and yellow hammer, undisturbed by 
the foot of man. We have now past the bounds of 
civilization, and our vessel is the only spot of life in 
this vast region of forest and water. 

From the entrance of Lake Huron to Mackinac, 
there were but two places where man was visible. At 
the mouth of the Zappa river soon after entering the 
lake, there is a cabin where a woodman resides in the 
summer season to supply the steamboats j and at 
Presque Isle where we stopped in the afternoon there 
is another cluster of cabins, and woodpiles. Our 
Captain did not stop at this latter place, as he did not 
like their wood, it being chiefly swamp ash. The 
shore is low, covered with trees, having below, a beach 
of yellow sand, until just before coming in sight of 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 107 

Michilimackinac when the land becomes a little ele- 
vated. Ten miles this side of the last mentioned place, 
we passed Boisblanc, a large wooded island, taking its 
name of ' white wood? from the silver barked birch tree. 
This island belongs to government, and its only inhab- 
itants, save a few straggling Ottowas are the family 
of the light-house keeper whose pretty tenement, and 
stately light-house, appear upon a projecting point. 
There is also a farm upon the island given by govern- 
ment to the Missionaries of Michilemackinac, who 
sometimes maintain a farmer upon it. O Mackinaw, 
thou lonely island, how shall I describe thy various 
beauties ! certainly for situation, history, and native 
loveliness, it is the most interesting island in our 
States. We approach it through an avenue of islands, 
Drummond and Manitoulin, dimly seen on our east, and 
Boisblanc, and Round, in our western side. Stretch- 
ing across our path, far away in front of us, is Macki- 
naw, painted against the clear blue sky. The island 
of Michilimackinac, or Mackinaw, or Mackinac as it 
is commonly spelt and pronounced, is a high and bold 
bluff of limestone about three hundred feet above the 
water, covered with verdure. Its name signifies in 
the Indian tongue great turtle, as it is something of 
the figure of this animal. At the foot of the bluff are 
strewed the buildings of the town. Among the most 
conspicuous of these are, the agency house and gar- 
dens, residence of Mr. Schoolcraft, Indian Agent — and 
the church and mission house. Along the beach were 
several Indian wigwams, while numerous pretty bark 
canoes were going and coming, as this is the Indian 
stopping place. Avery beautiful, and conspicuous ob- 
ject was the United States fort, presenting at a distance 



108 A SU3IMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

the appearance of along white line of buildings inserted, 
into the top of the island high above the town. As 
we approached, its picturesque block-houses and 
the pretty balconied residences of the officers, came 
out to view, having the banner of the ' stripes and 
stars' waving over them. While gazing at this fair 
picture, suddenly a brilliant flame, and volumes of 
white smoke arose above the fort, while a booming 
sound told us they were firing their mid-day salute in 
honor of the day. This added much to the beauty 
and grandeur of the scene. As our boat was to 
remain there for some hours, we disembarked and 
ascended to the fort to visit our friends the command- 
ing officer and his' family. We found them sitting 
upon their balcony, looking down upon the newly 
arrived steamboat. After the first greetings and mu- 
tual enquiries were over, we were shown all it was 
thought would interest us. 

The view from our friend's balcony was beautiful in 
the extreme. The bay in front, the lovely islands around 
covered with a luxurious vegetation — the town spread 
out at our feet — the Indian lodges, and the canoes 
skimming the bright waters, each called forth our ex- 
pressions of admiration. Passing into the interior 
djf the fort, and through the fine parade ground and a 
large gateway, we found ourselves upon the summit 
of the island. Our path lay through copses of white 
birch, maple, and various other trees, and over green 
sward covered with strawberries and a variety of wild 
flowers. Our friends kindly gathered for me a variety 
of these, among which was a fine scarlet lilium super- 
bum, blue bells, and kinni kanic, or Indian tobacco, 
and a pretty plant called Indian strawberry. Suddenly 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 109 

the silver tones of woman's voice, sounded near, and 
in a fairy dell we came upon a tent, surrounded by a 
party of ladies and gentlemen, busily engaged prepar- 
ing for a fete in honor of the day. Among them was 
the daughter of our host, and some of the celebrated 

family of S 1. We were presented to the party, 

and were quite chagrined our limited time would not 
permit us to accept their invitation to remain and par- 
take of their festivities. The grace and beauty of 

Mrs. S 1 made great impression upon us. To me 

she was peculiarly interesting from the fact of her 
being descended from the native lords of the forest j 
for you know I have always taken the greatest inter- 
est in the fate of our Indian tribes. From the accent, 
the deep brunette of her smooth skin, and her dark 
hair and eyes, I should have taken her for a Spanish 
lady. From the tent we wound our way up to a high 
peak of the island. When near the summit, we left 
a grove, and saw before us one of the most picturesque 
and singular objects imaginable. It was a high arched 
rock of white limestone, stretching across a chasm 
before us, making a pretty natural bridge, through 
which we gazed far down into the waves of Huron, at 
least two hundred feet below. The surprise, the 
beauty and novelty of this striking object, brought 
forth expressions of admiration from us. The white 
arch was adorned with tufts of wild flowers, and shrub- 
bery. Ascending the arch, we gazed down upon the 
white beach below, whose pebbles could be here dis- 
tinctly seen under the limpid water although many 
feet deep — and out upon the fair waters, and the pretty 
islands, which 

" Like rich and various gems inlay 

The unadorned bosom of the deep." 

10 



110 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

We were obliged to be satisfied with a hasty view 
of this charming scene, as our time was limited ; and 
we turned reluctantly towards our boat, without visit- 
ing the ruins of fort Holmes, upon the high summit 
of the island. While passing through the town we 
observed several antique houses which had been 
erected by the French, who first settled this place in 
sixteen hundred and seventy three. 

These are frail delapidated buildings, covered with 
roofs of bark. Upon the beach a party of Indians 
had just landed, and we stood while they took down 
their blanket sail, and hauled their birch bark canoe 
about twenty feet long, upon the shore. These are 
the Menominies or wild rice eaters, the ugliest Indians 
I had ever seen — also Winebagoes, with dark skin, 
low foreheads and shaggy hair, and having no preten- 
tions to dress. I saw a chief however afterwards who 
was gaily bedizened with tinsel, beads, and paint, 
having one side of his face a light pea green, and the 
other cheek scarlet. We watched them erect their 
lodges which was done very soon — a few poles were 
placed in a circle, one end of each stood in the earth, 
while the others met at the top — coarse matting was 
folded around these, leaving an opening for a door, 
over which a blanket was hung. Some matting being 
spread upon the floor inside, the children and movea- 
bles were placed inside, and the canoe drawn up near 
it. We visited some of the shops and laid up a store 
of Indian articles, which are made by these poor peo- 
ple and sold here. Among them were small baskets 
called Mococks, made of birch bark embroidered with 
porcupine quills, stained different colors — this was 
filled with maple sugar. It is pleasant to meet friends 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. Ill 

SO far from home, but I think the pleasure is ahnost 
counterbalanced by the pain of parting. This we felt 
keenly, when the planks had withdrawn, and our 
friends had been forced to leave us, as we gazed after 
them winding their way up to the fort, the shores, 
and waters around seemed more desolate, more lonely 
than before. 

Just before the steamboat started we had an oppor- 
tunity of judging of the boasted transparency of this 
water, its depth having prevented this on our voyage. 
I looked down into it from the boat, where it was 
twenty feet deep, and could scarcely believe there 
was anything but air between us and those shining 
pebbles below. We had also an opportunity of hear- 
ing some Indian music. Upon the shore sat a group of 
unearthly beings, one of whom struck several taps 
upon a sort of drum, accompanied by the others, in 
what sounded like a wolf recitative — at the end of 
this all united in a yell which dyed away over the 
lake, much in the style of a howling blast accompa- 
nied by the shrieks of a drowning traveller. Our 
fishing party left us here to go up the Sault St Mary, 
into lake Superior, spending their summer days 
among the picturesque scenery of that magnificent 
lake. We bade adieu with much regret to this pretty 
island, whose green terraces, fort and picturesque 
town, Indian lodges, and light canoes, made a beautiful 
scene — but the most interesting point in the view, 
was that white handkerchief waving^ farewell from the 
fortress balcony. 

This island is 615 miles from Buffalo; 319 from 
Detroit. There are water marks upon the rocks 
200 feet above the lake, proving the water had once 



112 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

stood so high. The scenery here has been prettily 
described by an author of talent, Mrs. Jameson ; but, 
as mucli pleased as I was with her book, 1 must regret 
she came here under such circumstances. It is with 
reluctance I censure one so gifted, but it is with a 
view of warning you, and my young friends to whom 
I know you will show my letters, against errors to 
which the very witchery of her genius would blind 
you. However passionate a desire you may entertain 
for the picturesque, I hope you may never leave the 
protection of your friends and wander in search of it 
alone. May your curiosity to see great men never 
lead you to invade the retreat of a world hating bache- 
lor ; and may you never stray in wild forests, through 
storms and tempests, with no companion save a rude 
Indian, or a 'bronzed, brawney, unshaven, back-woods- 
man,' ' very much like a bear upon his hind legs,' 
and you ' a poor, lonely, shivering woman.' I quote 
her words. You had better be a ' tarry at home tra- 
veller,' or write ' voyages around my own room.' If 
you do thus, you must expect the ladies where you 
visit will look ' formal and alarmed,' as she tells us the 
ladies of Toronto looked upon her. But now I have 
done scolding and will pursue my journey. Upon a 
green slope of the Michigan shore, a pile of ruins 
were pointed out as the site of old fort Mackinac, which 
was taken by Pontiac with a stratagem and afterwards 
every one within were massacred. How must those 
unfortunates have felt, upon this desolate shore, hun- 
dreds of miles away from their country, and at the 
mercy of savages. A band of Chippewa's or Ojibwa's 
were just passing in canoes thirty feet in length. 
This tribe stands higher in rank than the others, 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 113 

and their language, like the French, is the polite 
tongue among the Indian tribes. They have a ruler 
whose office has been hereditary for ages. He is cal- 
led Mudjikiwis, and they pride themselves much upon 
his and their own rank and lineage. There is an anec- 
dote, related by Schoolcraft, of one of this tribe, 
which, if you hav^e never seen, will amuse you. Chi 
Waishki, alias the Buffalo, was presented by the com- 
missioners of the treaty of Fond du Lac, with a me- 
dal as a badge of distinction. ' What need have I of 
this V he said haughtily. ' It is known whence I am 
descended !' These canoes are the prettiest and 
lightest things imaginable. They are formed of the 
bark of the birch tree, sewn together with a thread 
made from fine roots of cedar split. The bark is 
soaked to make it more pliable. Sometimes they are 
very gaily painted and ornamented. The paddles are 
of light wood. Our Captain placed before us at din- 
ner a very fine lake trout, which he had purchased at 
Mackinaw. It was two feet long, and very delicious. 
Fine salmon are also taken in these lakes. We were 
now upon the great lake Michigan, which stretches 
from here three hundred and twenty miles, to the 
Illinois shore, and is nine hundred feet deep. Our 
course lay near the Michigan shore, which presented 
high bluiFs and points of limestone, with banks of 
pebbles, and high jagged hills, or dunes of sand. 
These pebbles and sand are said to be thrown up by 
the north-western winds, but I should rather imagine 
them left up by the floods which have swept over the 
land. Upon our right were Fox and Beaver isles, be- 
yond which, Green bay runs intoWisconsin, one hun- 
dred and three miles. This northern shore of Michi- 

10* 



114' A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

gan is uninhabited, and covered with dense forests. 
The ledges and masses of white limestone upon some 
of these islands looked like fortresses or other build- 
ings. 

July bth. — Sunday upon the lake. When I left my 
cabin, I found the morning was misty, and the sun 
looking like the yolk of an egg^ was bobbing up and 
down upon the water. It had just peeped above the 
waves, which, dashing about, sometimes obscured it 
from our view. We were lying at one of the Manitou 
islands, taking in wood. This is a pretty crescent shape 
islet, covered with trees. In the centre we were told 
is a lake which is unfathomable, and supposed to be 
connected with lake Michigan. It is filled with the 
large trout, salmon and white fish of the lakes. 
There is a woodman's hut, and several large piles of 
wood upon the shore. ' Oh that the woodman would 
spare those trees.' Soon the pretty island will be de- 
nuded and forlorn. It is a sacred island — the Indians 
imagining it to be the residence of their Manitou, 
never dare to land there, as they believe such an in- 
trusion would be followed by the anger of their Deity. 
One Indian, who despised such superstition ventured 
upon the shore, and was never heard of since. The 
forests and lake in the interior, they imagine is the 
abode of the blessed after death, whose hours will 
there pass in hunting and fishing. The Manitoulin 
islands in lake Huron, are also sacred ; but they are 
much larger than these, one of them being fifty-five 
miles in length. I secured a handful of pebbles from 
the shore, which, like those of other lakes, are agate, 
chalcedony and other sileceous minerals. Upon the 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 115 

shores of lake Superior these are found very fine, 
mixed with trachte, lava, and other volcanic rocks, 
and with masses of native copper. I had brought 
with me a package of well selected tracks, which I 
opened this morning, and laid a few upon the table of 
the ladies saloon. Soon after, a pretty little girl 
knocked at my state-room door, saying her mother 
wished to know if I had any more tracts, as she should 
like to read one. I asked her where were those I laid 
upon the table 1 those, she replied, some ladies were 
reading. I gave her several. The chambermaid next 
appeared begging for some j and then the cabin boy 
came with the same request. While I was selecting 
one which I thought might suit him, I observed a 
brawny dusky figure, with his shirt sleeves rolled up, 
and his person begrimed with soot and smoke, gazing 
earnestly towards us. ' That's Tom, one of the fire- 
men,' said the cabin boy with a snigger ; ' he heard 
you had books to lend and wants one dreadfully.' I 
beckoned to him, and he came forward with alacrity, 
while behind him I discerned several other 'grim 
visaged' beings peeping out from their compartment 
towards us. I gave him a package to distribute among 
his fellows ; and during the day had the pleasure of 
observing the greater part of the crew and passengers 
busily engaged with my books. During our long 
voyage, those who had books had read them out, and 
those who had none, were getting very weary, so that 
they eagerly received any thing in the shape of read- 
ing. But some of them, I trust, read them for the 
sake of the benefit they hoped to receive from their 
contents. It was a source of great satisfaction to be- 
hold so many persons engaged in themes of high im- 



116 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

port to their soul's best interest. These seeds were 
sown with a prayer for their success ; and who can 
tell what immortal plants may spring up in some of 
their hearts, growing to a tree of life, and bearing 
fruit to flourish in the garden of paradise. Let me 
urge you never to travel without these, or other useful 
books todistribvite on your way — like the girl in the 
fairy tale of our youth, shedding gems and treasures 
in your path. There is no library in this boat as upon 
our Hudson and Eastern steamboats, and we were 
often amused with the alacrity with which our books 
were snatched up when we laid them down for a strole, 
or to look at some object upon the shores. When we 
returned we were always sure to receive them again, 
and felt no vexation, as we knew they meant no impo- 
liteness, and would be willing to lend us their own in 
return. My companion had never been used to such 
socialisms in his country, and was quite amused at 
this free and easy sort of thing. Our books were 
some of them French, and upon one occasion we 
found them in the hands of a simple hearted son of 
the forest, to whom books were so rare a treasure he 
could not resist examining them. He returned it with 
a smile, and said, shaking his head, ' how you can 
make any sense out of that I can't see, for I cannot 
read a word of it.' 

We lost sight of the Michigan shore at ten o'clock, 
and stretched across the lake towards the Wisconsin 
coast, which we first saw at four o'clock P. M., thus 
being nearly all day out of the sight of land. This 
may give you an idea of the vastness of these lakes. 
Wisconsin, or Ouisconsin, or Wiskonsan, here pre- 
sents a high bank, called ' red banks,' from the color 



A SUBIMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 117 

of the soil, covered with forests, and showing no trace 
of man, except at the mouth of the river Sheboygan, 
two hundred and twenty miles from Mackinaw, where 
is a small settlement called by the name of the river. 
Fifty miles from Sheboygan we stopped at the town 
of Milwaukie, towards which the tide of emigration 
has been rapidly flowing. As the bay is crossed by a 
bar, our large boat could not enter, and a small steam- 
boat took from us much of our merchandise and most 
of our emigrants. We did not go on shore, but con- 
tented ourselves with seeing the town from the boat. 
It looked neat, with some comfortable dwellings, 
several shops, hotel, court house, &:c. It stands upon 
the Milwaukie river Its population is 1,000. Several 
rail-roads and canals are in contemplation from this 
place across the territory, as rail-roads to Winnebago 
lake ', from Belmont to Dubuque ; from Bellmont to 
Dodgeville in the mine district^ a canal from Mil- 
waukie to the Black river, and another through the 
Fox and Wisconsin to the Mississippi. Wisconsin 
will be soon covered with a dense population, as it is 
now a favorite point for emigration. The soil is very 
rich, from one to ten feet deep, the surface undulating 
prairie and woodland, consisting of 100,000 square 
miles of fertile land. The grassy plains make fine 
pasture lands, and the lakes and rivers produce abun- 
dance of fish, and give great manufacturing power. 
Lakes Superior and Michigan, and the river Missis- 
sippi surround three sides, thus enabling them to send 
their produce to market. Flour, rye, corn, barley, 
white-fish, and many other articles have been exported 
this year. Their lead mines are very rich, and their 
valuable forests of pine trees will be another source of 



118 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

wealth. These growing to the height of one hundred 
and eighty or two hundred feet, crown the heights of 
the northern region of the country, which is moun- 
tainous, containing several waterfalls, one of which is 
two hundred and fifty feet in height. The scenery is 
very picturesque. Madison, the capital, is a pretty, 
thriving town, surrounded by four transparent lakes, 
upon the shore of one of which it is situated ; it some- 
times goes by the poetical appellation of ' city of the 
four lakes.' When the roads and canals are formed, Wis- 
consin will soon become a thoroughfare to the Missis- 
sippi and the vast regions beyond; and those who 
have ' the world before them,' cannot make a better 
choice than this. Here we left our Buifalo hunters. 
Racine is a town twenty-two miles below Milwaukie. 
The houses looked new, and were arranged in rows 
upon the high green bank. The court-house was 
quite showy, having a portico in front, with pillars 
reaching to the roof, which was painted red, sur- 
mounted hj a tin cupola. It stands at the mouth of 
Root river. We were now again in sight of Michigan, 
as the lake grows narrower towards the end. We 
have passed completely around this state, it being in 
the shape of a triangle. It is destined to be a great 
and flourishing State, surrounded as it is by the lakes, 
crossed by rivers canals, and railroads, and covered by 
a rich soil. It is two hundred and eighty miles long by 
one hundred and eighty, and covers 40,000 square miles. 
It has only been admitted into the Union as a State in 
1837, and now possesses a population of 211,705. 
The country is level, except a table land in the center 
from which the rivers flow into lakes St. Clair, Huron, 
and Michigan. The remainder is covered with grassy 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 119 

prairie land, with transparent lakes, and tracts of wood- 
land. Here grows the valuable maple from which 
they obtain their sugar; the white birch, whose bark 
is used for making canoes, roofing houses, or even 
when split fine, in writing letters by the early settlers ; 
the oak, the beech, the hickory, sassafras, and various 
other valuable trees. Its energetic inhabitants are 
busily engaged laying out canals and rail-roads to 
intersect it in every direction, as means of conveying 
their produce to its market. One hundred and thirty- 
one miles of rail-road has been contracted for, but 
only forty-four miles finished, from Detroit to Ann 
Arbor. Over this 41,896 barrels of flour were con- 
veyed this year to Detroit. Three years since the 
inhabitants of this state sent to Ohio for their flour, 
and now they export 125,000 barrels of flour this year. 
Education is not neglected; the legislature have ap- 
propriated 1,200,000 acres of land as a school fund, 
which, as the land is rapidly rising, will be of great 
value. The celebrated Schoolcraft tells us, it was 
deemed so inaccessible from swamps, that in 1818, it 
was not thought fit for the soldiers bounty lands. 
This was, however, soon discovered to be a mistake. 
He further informs us, the soil is an argillaceous soil, 
mellowed with sands and pebbles, underlaid with 
schistose and calcareous rocks, clothed with an open 
growth of oaks and hickories, the ridges covered with 
walnut, ash, beech, and maple, while the valleys are 
first rate corn land, diversified with limpid lakes, 
grassy prairies and pebbly bottomed brooks. 

July 6tk. — When approaching Chicago, the ' haven 
where we would be,' I did not so much watch for the 



120 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

appearance of that famed town, as look back with 
regret at the beautiful lake I was leaving, for 1 was 
well assured 'I ne'er should look upon its like again.' 
Two days and two nights I had been sailing over it, 
never tired of gazing at its varied shores, or beauteous 
waters. Those who have never beheld these masses 
of pellucid, brilliant, green waters, can never imagine 
the extraordinary loveliness of the scene. They cover 
a surface of 150,000 square miles, and contain nearly 
half the fresh water upon the surface of the globe. 
That the water is fresh, is of great importance to 
those who dwell upon their shores, as it can be of 
more use for household purposes, and machinery. 
The valley in which the lakes repose, is said to have 
been hewed out by the deluge, leaving the deep 
chasms in which the waters lie; this is called the 
valley of the St. Lawrence, and very properly ; but I 
must object to this immense chain of lakes, four and 
five hundred miles long, and nine hundred deep, being 
called the ' river St. Lawrence,' as some fashionable 
tourists have of late. The St. Lawrence river is an 
outlet, but is no more entitled to this designation, 
than is Niagara or St. Clair river. These lakes all lie 
in a valley which interposes between the primitive 
and secondary formations. The northern shores are 
granite rocks, sterile, and scarcely inhabited ; while 
the southern is rich alluvion, covering sandstone and 
limestone. 

The bustle of arrival aroused me from these reflec- 
tions, and we were soon seated in the parlor of the 
Lake Hotel, in the famous state of Illinois, and town 
of Chicago. The rapid growth of this place you have 
heard of: in 1833 it could only count three frame 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 121 

dwellings and two hundred and fifty inhabitants ; and 
now enumerates six churches, one hundred shops, 
several hotels, dwelling houses, and ware-houses, and 
between six and seven thousand inhabitants. Chicao-o, 
or Tshicawgo, as the inhabitants and Indians call it, is 
divided by a river of the same name into two parts, 
between which is a free ferry and a bridge. The 
shops are upon one side, and the dwellings upon the 
other. These last are in the style of country resi- 
dences, enclosed with white palings, surrounded by 
piazzas and gardens 5 some of brick, but many of 
wood and neatly painted. Every thing looks quite 
new, as indeed it might; for where now the town 
stands, was, as late as 1833, a fort, before which was 
encamped seven thousand Indians. Fort Dearborn 
was erected for the purpose of protecting the frontier. 
It was attacked in 1812 by the Indian tribes, and their 
allies, and those who escaped massacre, sought pro- 
tection in fort Wayne. Another fort was built in 1818, 
but is now deserted and let out for tenements. There 
are houses of worship here for several denominations ; 
among them the Presbyterian church is most conspi- 
cuous. It is of brick and neatly finished. Part of the 
money required for its erection, was acquired by the 
ladies in a Fair. The Lake House is a very good 
hotel, situated among the dwelling houses. It is built 
of brick, painted white, which, with its green blinds, 
gives it a pleasant appearance; every thing within 
was comfortable and good of its kind. According to 
our usual practice, we ascended to the cupola of the 
hotel, where is a lovely view of the cottages and 
gardens at our feet, the broad prairies beyond, and 

the bright waters of Michigan behind us. This town 

11 



122 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

is beautifully situated upon the borders of the lake, 
throuo-h which it holds constant communication with 
Buffalo and the east. The other route I mentioned, 
from Detroit continues over the rail-road at that city, 
and by cross roads to St. Joseph's upon the lake, from 
which place steamboats are continually plying to Chi- 
cago. It is a shorter road, and gives the traveller a 
view of the interior of Michigan. The Illinois and 
Michigan canal commences here, which is to be carried 
to Peru on the Illinois river, a distance of one hundred 
miles, thus opening a communication with the Missis- 
sippi and the Gulf of Mexico. It is six feet deep and 
sixty feet wide, and is nearly finished. The climate 
here is variable. In the summer the wind will one day 
blow over the surface of the prairies, and the weather 
will become very hot j but the next day, perhaps, it 
will come from the lake and cool it again. In conse- 
quence of the vicinity of the lake there is not much 
snow, and it is not very cold. 

We spent here one day only, but were able to see 
every thing in and about the town, and in conversa- 
tion with those friends residing here, obtained every 
information. We intended making a longer stay, but 
learned that the regular line of stages left town that 
evening, which obliged us to go on or to stay longer 
than our time would admit. Before reaching here, it 
was our intention to go to Michigan City, which is in 
Indiana, upon the shores of the lake, and from thence 
cross Indiana to Madison, upon the Ohio, through a 
fine succession of rail and Macadamized roads. Our 
friends here, however, seemed to think it so mon- 
strous a thing to return without beholding the cele- 
brated Mississippi, when within a few hundred miles 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 123 

only, that we determined to alter our course and go 
down the Illinois river. 

At nine o'clock at night we entered a commodious 
stage drawn by four good horses, which was to take us 
to Peoria, upon the Illinois, one hundred and fifty-seven 
miles distant, for which we were to pay twenty-two 
dollars, eleven each, bed and board included. Beside 
us were two other passengers. Crossing the bridge, 
we took up the mail at the post office, and then drove 
through a long range of cheerfully lighted shops until 
we found ourselves out of town. Here the road crossed 
the wet jjrairie, as it is called, which, in some seasons, 
when the lake is high, is overflown. Through this 
wet land we went splash, splash, nearly half the night. 
A rail-road is proposed here, which will render tra- 
velling more pleasant. Hour after hour passed away, 
my companions all dozing while I sought sleep in vain. 
The vast plain over which we were moving, seen 
through the dusk of a cloudy night, seemed a fitting 
place for dark deeds — a fine Hounslow heath, or In- 
dian lurking place. But there are no bandits here, 
and the Indians were all over the Mississippi, and I 
was bidding such idle fears avaunt, when suddenly a 
low plaintive wail sounded over the waste, startling 
my companions from their slumbers. ' What was that 
unearthly cry V I asked. ' Only a prairie wolf madam.' 
' Dear me !' exclaimed the other passenger, a youth. 
' I hope there are not many of them, for sometimes 
wolves attack horses.' ' Not in these prairies, sir,' 
replied the other passenger, ' they are rather shy, and 
afraid of us.' ' I am glad, at least, to see a light,' 
returned the youth, 'there must be a house yonder.' 
' Yes, a bower in the rushes, nothing else,' replied the 



124 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

Other man. ' If you follow that light it will lead you 
a pretty chase through the marshes , it is ajack-o'lan- 
tern.' The hour, seen by the light of the coach lamp, 
proved to be twelve, and each settled in his corner for 
another doze. A sudden halt of the stage awakened 
us. The coachman took down a lamp and began to 
search for something on the ground. ' Halo, driver, 
what have you lost V asked the youth. ' Only my 
road sir,' he replied. ' Lost your road !' exclaimed 
the youth in dismay ; ' Lost in these lonely moors 
among wolverines and jack-o'lanterns ! Here's a pretty 
fix!' 'Driver you ought to keep the skin off your 
eyes in such a dark night, I guess,' said the other 
passenger. I only wondered he could ever keep his 
road, as there was no house or tree to mark his course 
even in the day, and one might easily pass over the 
worn pathway in these grassy plains. The driver 
soon resumed his seat, having discovered his path ; 
and gave us the agreeable intelligence, he had gone 
three miles out of his way. A few hours after this, a 
huge body suddenly appeared before the window — it 
tamed out to be a tree, a sign we were approaching a 
river. Soon after we found ourselves before the door 
of a small house, upon the banks of a narrow but deep 
and placid stream fringed with trees. This was the 
Des Plaines, a river which rises so near lake Michigan, 
that in times of its overflow, boats have passed from 
one to another. This interlocking of waters which 
flow different ways, Darby considers ' an astonishing 
hydrographical anomaly.' All the waters we had 
passed, have fallen into the Atlantic, while those we 
were now following find their way into the gulf of 
Mexico. The Des Plaines is called a branch of the 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 125 

Illinois, Avhich joins with the Kankakee, and after- 
wards the Fox, and the united streams take the name 
of the Illinois. Many modern writers consider this 
as the Illinois, and drop the name of Des Plaines, 
which I should judge a proper arrangement. We 
awakened the drowsy owner of the house, procured 
some refreshment, and with fresh horses resumed our 
journey. 

July 1th. — I fell asleep, and when I was awakened 
at dawn this morning, by my companion, that I might 
not lose the scene, I started with surprise and delight. 
I was in the midst of a prairie ! A world of grass and 
flowers stretched around me, rising and falling in gen- 
tle undulations, as if an enchanter had struck the 
ocean swell, and it was at rest forever. Acres of wild 
flowers of every hue glowed around me, and the sun 
arising from the earth where it touched the horizon, 
was ' kissing with golden face the meadows green.' 
What a new and wonderous world of beauty ! What 
a magnificent sight ! Those glorious ranks of flowers ! 
Oh that you could have ' one glance at their array !' 
How shall I convey to you an idea of a prairie. I 
despair, for never yet hath pen brought the scene be- 
fore my mind. Imagine yourself in the centre of an 
immense circle of velvet herbage, the sky for its 
boundary upon every side j the whole clothed with a 
radiant efllorescence of every brilliant hue. We rode 
thus through a perfect wilderness of sweets, sending 
forth perfume, and animated with myriads of glittering 
birds and butterflies ; — 

" A populous solitude of bees and birds, 
And fairy formed, and many colored things." 



11 



* 



126 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

It was, in fact, a vast garden, over whose perfumed 
paths, covered with soil as hard as gravel, our car- 
riage rolled through the whole of that summer day. 
You will scarcely credit the profusion of flowers upon 
these praries. We passed whole acres of blossoms 
all bearing one hue, as purple, perhaps, or masses of 
yellow or rose ; and then again a carpet of every 
color intermixed, or narrow bands, as if a rainbow had 
fallen upon the verdant slopes. When the sun flooded 
this Mosaic floor with light, and the summer breeze 
stirred among their leaves, the irredescent glow was 
beautiful and wonderous beyond any thing I had ever 
conceived. I think this must have been the place 
where Armida planted her garden, for she surely could 
not have chosen a fairer spot. Here are 

' Gorgeous flowrets in the sun light shining, 

Blossoms flaunting in the eye of day ; 
Tremulous leaves, with soft and silver lining 
Buds that open only to decay.' 

The gentle undulating surface of these prairies, pre- 
vent sameness, and add variety to its lights and shades. 
Occasionally, when a swell is rather higher than the 
rest, it gives you an extended view over the country 
and you may mark a dark green waving line of trees 
near the distant horizon, which are shading some 
gentle stream from the sun's absorbing rays, and thus, 
'Betraying the secret of their silent course.' Oak 
openings also occur, green groves, arranged with the 
regularity of art, making shady, alleys, for the heated 
traveller. What a tender benevolent Father have we, 
to form for us so bright a world ! How filled with 
glory and beauty must that mind have been, who con- 
ceived so much loveliness ! If for his erring children 
he has created so fair a dwelling place, how well 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 127 

adorned with every goodly show, must be the celes- 
tial home reserved for his obedient people. Eye hath 
not seen it — ear hath not heard it — nor can it enter 
into our hearts to conceive it. 

Wondrous truths, and manifold as wondrous, 

God hath, written in those stars above — 
But not less in the bright fiowrets under us. 

Stands the revelation of his love. 

1 observe in all fashionable tours, what is eaten and 
drank seems to be matter of immense importance, and 
perhaps you will be disappointed if I do not touch 
upon themes of such high import. We had been 
warned our fare upon these ' lonesome prairies' would 
be poor, and of course we did not expect the tables 
of a New York hotel. The scarcity of stone, and 
of wood — as there are no pine and cedar except in 
the northern parts of Wisconsin — forbids much ele- 
gance in the few houses scattered along the road, and 
the first post house at which we stopped for breakfast 
was a rude log cabin. Our detention during the night 
had prevented our arriving at the usual breakfast hour, 
and it was supposed we had taken our meal elsewhere, 
and of course we were obliged to wait. ' Breakfast ! 
Breakfast!' was the cry of driver and passengers, as 
we alighted. 'Aye, aye!' returned the landlord — 'I 
will scare you up as good a feed as you could find in 
Chicago.' The room we entered was plainly furnished, 
but I remarked a pile of books upon a bureau, among 
which were the life of Gen. Harrison — Rollins Ancient 
History — Vicar of Wakefield, and several religious 
works. I regretted I could only place a few tracts 
among them. When I travel again in such lonely 
parts, I will endeavor to find a corner in my trunks 
for a few good books to leave among this reading peo- 



128 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

pie. The mistress and her daughter were very busy 
scaring up our breakfast, of which, I should think the 
chickens were the most scared. They soon placed 
upon the table cloth, some fine smoking potatoes from 
their garden — nice indian meal cakes, eggs, milk, 
cheese, cucumbers, butter, bread, and 'chicken fixens.' 
Every thing, being native produce, was very nice, but 
the coffee being a foreign article, was not as good as 
I have seen before, I must confess. The landlady's 
method of preparing it was so novel, that I will write 
off the recipe for your edification. I had retreated to 
the kitchen fire, as I slept rather cold last night, it 
being misty, and there observed her process. She 
placed some coffee grains in an iron pot, which, being 
scared about a little until somewhat brownish, were 
laid upon the kitchen table, and pounded with a rolling 
pin. Boiling water being poured upon it, the coffee 
was dished up. Every one drank it contentedly, and 
I, being thirsty drank it also. The driver who sat 
next to me, having lived much in Chicago and other 
refined places rather turned up his nose, saying it 
was not half as good as he got at the Lake House. 
My companion contented himself with milk. While 
waiting at the door for the stage, our hosts, son gal- 
loped up, dismounted and tied his horse to the fence. 
The animal looked as untamed as if just caught, his 
wild bright eyes flashed from beneath his shaggy 
uncut mane, and he pawed the ground, snorted and 
struggled, as if determined to break away and scour 
the free plains again. ' Your horse loves not restraint,' 
said I, ' he wishes to be free.' 'Aye, aye ! the critter 
snuffs a wolf and wants to be after him.' 'A wolf!' 
' Yes — he is my wolf hunter, and dearly does he love 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 129 

a chase after them. When he sees them, nothing can 
stop him from chasing them — but they give him a 
pretty tough run sometimes. I have seen him follow 
one for a mile ere he overtook him, and then, with 
one stroke of his foot, the wolf is dead.' I am sure 
the horse understood his master — his eye was fixed 
upon us while he spoke, and when he ended, tost his 
mane with a triumphant expression and stamped 
fiercely upon the ground, as if his enemy were beneath 
his foot. 

' All aboard !' cries the driver, and we were again 
upon our course, our horses prancing gaily as if re- 
freshed by their breakfast. A tree appeared against 
the horizon, looking exactly like a sail in the dis- 
tance — others followed it,; and soon beautifulj groups 
of forest trees were sprinkled over the prairie in front. 
This was a token of the vicinity of water, and in a short 
time we found ourselves upon an elevated bank from 
which we looked down upon a verdant valley through 
the centre of which, ran a silver stream. This was 
the valley of the Des Plaines — having every appear- 
ance of being the bed of a broad and deep river. Many 
geologists, among them. Prof. Sheppard, thinks this 
and the valley of the Illinois, have been scooped out, 
by a vast torrent pouring from lake Michigan. Upon 
the opposite shore of the river and in this vale, at 
the foot of the ancient bank, stands the pretty town of 
Joliet, improperly spelt Juliet. The whole scene, was 
one of great beauty. We descended the bank, which 
is nearly one hundred feet high, and is composed of 
yellow water-worn pebbles. Winding down^the road, 
upon the high bank opposite, was a long train of cov- 
ered waggons, filled with a household upon its way to 



130 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

' a new home' upon the prairies. After fording the 
stream, now rendered shallow by the summer heats, 
passing over the green sward we found ourselves be- 
fore the door of the principal hotel in the town. Jo- 
liet takes its name from the old French traveller, 
father Joliet, who came here as a missionary in 1673, 
and stands at the mouth of a little stream of the same 
name. This is growing into a place of some impor- 
tance, as the Michigan canal crosses the river here, 
and all travellers to the Illinois pass through it. It 
has a fine water power, for the descent of this river 
to the rapids at Ottowa, is great — the lockage of the 
canal being 142 feet The population is over 600. 
There^is here a court house, houses of worship, mills, 
taverns, and several shops. We remained here only 
long*enough to change horses. While standing upon 
the steps, the covered waggons arrived, from which, 
looked forth men, women, children, dogs and cats, 
while pots, and kettles, and chairs, were dangling be- 
low. A group of sturdy looking men stood around 
the door. After our American fashion of asking 
questions, I addressed one of them who stood near 
me, and asked from what country he had travelled 
' From St. Thomas, in Canada ma'am,' he replied. 
' We are sixty families,' said another, ' and have left 
there because we want more freedom. We would 
live w^here we can say what we choose, and do what 
we choose. There our tongues are fettered !' I learnt 
they were going to Rock river, a very fashionable place 
of emigration now. This is a beautiful stream, run- 
ning through the north west part of Illinois into the 
Mississippi. The land is prairie upon its borders, 
which will well repay the agriculturist's labors, while 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 131 

its rapids place a great amount of manufacturing 
power at the disposal of the settlers. The lead region 
is also in its vicinity. At the mouth of Rock river, in 
the Mississippi, is a pretty island of limestone, three 
miles long, which is occupied by fort Armstrong, garri- 
soned by United States troops. Dixonville on this river 
is a growing town. This I learned from my emi- 
grants, and afterwards saw confirmed in a Gazeteer, 
So you see what a nice plan it is while travelling to 
extract information from all you meet. I am never 
bashful at asking. I bade adieu to the emigrants, 
hoping they would have their full of chat from which 
it seems they were debarred, and let the prairies 
* prate of their whereabouts.' We re-crossed the 
river where we found the newer part of Joliet built in 
a solid manner, of the yellow limestone which is 
quarried here. The sides of the canal, and viaduct 
were also formed of this pretty stone, which gives 
quite a gay look to the place. It is said by Professor 
Shephard to be magnesian limestone, which occurs 
also at Chicago, abounding in orthrocera, turbo, tere- 
bratula, caryophillia, &c., and extends he thinks 
through the lakes. It is taken out here in stratified 
layers ; and at Chicago, where it has a slaty structure, 
it is used for flagging. A few miles from Joliet, we 
passed an object, to me of the greatest interest — it 
was an Indian mound. This was a perfect gem — as 
regular, as smooth, and as green as if cut out of an 
emerald — being an oblong of fifty rods high, and sev- 
enty or eighty long. Although centuries have passed 
since it was formed, it is as perfect in shape, as if just 
moulded. A beautiful, solitary thing it is, telling of 
nations and events now lost in the mists of time. We 



132 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

saw afterwards, several others, bearing upon their 
summits ancient oaks, plain indication of their great 
antiquity. Flowers again in untold numbers, were cov- 
ering the prairies, and here are many of our garden 
flowers growing wild, as blue bells, flox, bouncing bet, 
sweet william, roses, cocoris, heliotrope, astre, &c., 
beside wild flowers as fringed gentean, solidago, 
orchis, yellow golden rod, scarlet lilly, wild indigo, 
superb pink moccasin flower, and scarlet lobelia. 
There were many I had never seen — among them was 
a species of teazle, having a tall stem, purple head, 
surrounded by a fringe of long pink leaves — I called 
it the Indian fairy, for as its dark head bobbed about, 
and its pink mantle flowed around it, it looked like a 
tiny Indian. In fact, flowers 

" rich as morning sunrise hue, 
And gorgeous as the gemmed midnight,' 

were smiling and blooming in every direction. What 
a nice place for some hortuculturist to transport him- 
self and cottage. Rural Ilowett would enjoy the 
scene — and Miller who loves to ' babble o' green fields' 
and flowers, would find fitting subject here for his 
blossoming pen. 

I welcome every flower I see with tender pleasure 
as if the gift of a friend — for I know they were planted 
among us to add to our enjoyment. Their culture 
has soothed many a mourning heart, and their blos- 
soming is as eagerly looked for in the spring, as if 
their own loved one was returning from the earth. 
There is nothing that can so soon transport us to 
scenes and friends long gone, and awaken buried me- 
mories of former joy as these brilliant creations. 
Earth would look dim without them — the bride would 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 133 

want a grace — the bier would seem more gloomy — 
while the sculptor, the artist, and the embroiderer, 
would lose their prettiest model of adornment. 

A line of trees proclaimed a river near, and we soon 
dashed through the Au Sable, the horses dancing with 
joy, as the clear cool waters curled about their feet. 
The sight of a house upon the opposite bank, seemed 
quite a novelty, as we had not seen one since leaving 
Joliet, at nine o'clock, and it was now one. The 
house was of boards painted white, and a hanging 
sign proclaimed it one of entertainment. Here we 
dined and changed horses. The meats were very 
good, the pies and custards tolerable, but the vegeta- 
bles were the finest we had ever tasted. Peas, beans, 
potatoes all were very excellent. Every thing we saw 
was from the landlords farm, which extended over the 
prairie some distance from his house. He and his 
men, came in from the corn fields when the conch, 
sounded for dinner, and without their coats — their 
shirt sleeves rolled up, they placed themselves beside 
us — one does not dress for dinner upon the prairies. 
While travelling in unsettled countries one must leave 
all one's nicities at home. It took us some little time 
to shut our eyes against soiled table covers, iron 
knives and forks, &c., — but once resolved to overlook 
it, we succeeded, and ceased to notice it. When we 
consider what a life these early settlers have led, we 
should only wonder things are as decent as they are. 
The man comes out here in his youth, with an axe, 
upon his shoulder — hews him a space in the forest 
and erects a log hut — here upon the floor, spread with 
the skin of a beast perhaps, he sleeps, his only com- 
panions, his dog, or an Indian — he gradually acquires 

12 



134 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

furniture of his own making, and when he came to 
eating from a table instead of a stone or a stump, he 
thinks himself very comfortable. A table cloth is 
such a luxury that he scarcely remarks when it gets 
soiled, as even then it is cleaner than his log table, 
and knives of the coarsest description are treasures 
to him. Our landlord spoke of his prairie land with 
the greatest enthusiasm. The ground is very hard to 
break, generally requiring several yoke of oxen, 
while beneath that the mould is several feet in thick- 
ness without stones, requiring no manuring and appa- 
rently inexhaustible- Some of the old settlements, 
where farms had been worked for twelve years, it was 
still as fertile as ever — giving the tiller very little 
trouble, and yielding rich crops. The oasis, or ' oak 
openings,' upon the prairies are very beautiful. We 
passed through one this morning. It presented the 
appearance of a lawn, or park around some gentle- 
man's seat. The trees are generally oak, arranged in 
pretty clumps or clusters upon the smooth grass — or 
in long avenues, as if planted thus by man. From 
their limbs hang pretty vines, as the pea vine — loni- 
cera flava, honey-suckle — and white convolvulus. 
While our carriage wound among these clumps, or 
through the avenues, it was almost impossible to 
dispel the illusion that we were not driving through 
the domain of some rich proprietor, and we almost 
expected to draw up before the door of some lordly 
mansion. Our afternoon drive from the Au Sable to 
Ottowa was through a treeless prairie, looking very 
much like a vast lake or ocean. So much is this 
appearance acknowledged by the country people that 
they call the stage coach, a prairie schooner. When 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 135 

the sun shines brightly over the landscape, its yellow 
light gives the prairie an azure hue, so that one can 
scarcely see where the earth ends, and the sky begins. 
The undulations are a very singular feature in the 
landscape. This is best seen at early morning or 
sunset light — the summit of every little swell is 
illumined, while the hollow between lies in shadow, 
thus making the ground a curious chequer work. 
We saw many prairie hens, or species of grouse this 
afternoon, but no wolves or deer, much to my regret. 
The road is so much travelled that they avoid it and 
retire to more sequestered places. Birds innumerable, 
were sporting in the sun's light among the flowers, 
and butterflies clad like Miltons angels, in ' purple 
beams, and azure wings, that up they fly so drest.' 

And now you ask, to what is the prairie land owing ; 
fire or water 1 Many are the theories upon this sub- 
Cect. The Indian name for prairie, is scutay, (fire ;) 
and they are in the custom of burning oflT the grass 
every fal]. Some will tell you, to this must be traced 
the dearth of trees. As the mould is so deep — in 
some places twenty feet, and there are in it, except in 
one or two places, no trace of trees or the huge stumps 
they leave, this does not seem probable, at least the 
trees must have been burnt from ages. Others will tell 
you it is the sediment of an ocean which is spread over 
the land — or in some places large lakes. In Illinois it 
is said there was once as large a lake as Michigan, 
which, burst its barrier at the grand tower rocks upon 
the Mississippi. A chain of lakes it is said have 
once stood upon the western land which have left 
these basins of deep alluvion covered with herbage. 
These water theorists, one of whom is Schoolcraft, 



136 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

point to the bowlder's of granite and gneiss which are 
scattered over the country from the nortliern ocean 
to the gulf of Mexico, lost rocks, as they are called, 
as traces of this flood. Why not join the two theories 1 
The land has no doubt been covered with water ; this 
is proved by the * lost rocks,' by the hard packed soil 
like the bottom of a lake j by its inky blackness, 
when wet, as we see in marshes, and, by the marsh 
grasses, and water plants which are seen growing 
upon it. This land, when dry was occupied by the 
Indians, who kindled a fire at the edges of a circle, 
among the rushes, which drove the animals in the 
centre where they were caught. The roots of the 
prairie grass is not destroyed by fire, and it therefore 
could not so completely eradicate the roots of those 
enormous trees which grow upon the western land. 
There is nothing in a prairie land to prevent the 
growth of trees, as wherever the fire is checked they 
immediately spring up. The rivers also protect their 
trees from fire. 

Prairie land occupies two thirds of the State of 
Illinois ; the dearth of water, and wood, and stone, 
will prevent them from being settled very thickly, 
except in the vicinity of the rivers; so that these 
beautiful plains will long remain undisturbed to gratify 
the traveller's eye. The prairies would of course be 
underlain with coal, as this great mass of vegetation 
which has been destroyed by the floods which have 
stood upon them, pressed beneath the incumbent 
strata and exposed to heat, moisture, and pressure, 
will produce fermentation, and afterwards hardened 
strata; accordingly it is found that coal is universal 
every where in the west. Why should we stop at 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 137 

second causes in considering the origin of prairies; 
why speak of Indian fires, or rushing floods % The 
Ahnighty mind who hath conceived this admirable 
globe, and who, with such infinite taste, hath formed 
and beautified it, decking it with flowers and every 
other delight, has spread out this fair western world 
with lakes immense, and stately forests, wondrous 
cataracts, smiling prairies, and broad rolling rivers, 
to decorate the abode of His loved, although erring 
sons. He, in his wisdom, foresaw the time would 
come, when the exhausted soil, and crumbling insti- 
tutions, and crowded homes of the old world, would 
require a new field for its overgrown population, and 
held this world perdu beneath the ocean caves until 
the fitting moment. When the hour had come, it 
arose fresh and blossoming from the sea, adorned 
with a goodly variety of mountain, lake, fair plain, 
and noble river, to compensate the lonely wanderer 
for the home he has been forced to leave. Now is 
not that a pretty theory'? That this continent was 
much longer submerged beneath the diluvial flood, 
and is indeed a new world, is, I believe, generally con- 
ceded by geologists. There is something delightful 
to look upon the earth, as we do here, in its pristine 
glory and virgin freshness. The waters may have 
lingered longer upon the broad valley which lies 
between the Alleghany and Rocky mountains, depos- 
iting that rich alluvion which lies so deep upon the 
land, and when departing, ploughed its way through 
those great valleys where now the western rivers 
flow. It was then, perhaps before the deluge, the 
abode of that monstrous saurian race, some sixty feet 

in length, whose bones are now dug up in Texas, and 

12* 



138 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

must be under the soil. When their ' days were 
fulfilled,' they were destroyed and sank beneath the 
floods to harden in the limestone j and when the land 
had become dry, the mastodon arose and stalked over 
the western plains; for since he has been discov- 
ered buried in the soil of Missouri, with Indian arrows 
sticking in his flesh, he is proved not to be antedilu- 
vial. When his career was over, the Indian tribes 
were admitted into the new born world; and whatever 
interest we may take in their fate — however we may 
pity them, we must all agree they have misused their 
gift. Their talent was hid^ the fields were untilled, 
the stores of marbles and metals, and materials choice 
and rare, which were placed there that man might 
rear him a comfortable habitation, and lordly temples 
for his God, remained unknown in their secret depo- 
sites. The Indian was doomed to share the fate of the 
mammoth: the barrier which concealed this world 
from the older part was loosed, and the waves of 
human population that rolled over it, has pushed back 
the Indians, step by step, and thinned their ranks, and 
will thin them, until their race also lies under the soil 
whose riches they knew not how to use. 

It is a singular and interesting thing to stand, as I 
do now, upon the confines of the earth, as it were, ' at 
the green earth's end,' and gaze back through the 
vista of time, over Europe, and Africa, and Asia, upon 
the nations that have risen and flourished, and become 
extinct, each in its turn, like those animal races, 
whose story is sculptured, geologists tell us, upon the 
ribs and arches of the earth beneath us. There we 
look upon the decline and fall of nations — here upon 
their blossoming spring-time. And it is a curious 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 139 

thing to look on here and see the machinery of world 
making at work — to behold the progress of society- 
going on under your eyes, from its infancy to its 
maturity. As in a panorama we behold the wigwam 
of the savage pass away to give place to a log hut; 
that disappears and a goodly farm appears; then a 
settlement, a village, a town in succession, until at 
last, an imposing city filled with institutions for all 
arts and sciences ; with temples, academies, and all 
appliances of society in its state of culture and matu- 
rity. While thus watching nations rising and setting ; 
moved and transported upon the earth's surface as the 
pieces of a chess-board, a guiding hand is as distinctly 
visible, as upon the walls of Beltshazzer's palace. To 
the poor Indian the hand- writing again appears: Hhou 
art weighed in the balance and found wanting!' Be- 
ware ye, who have inherited his land, that the sen- 
tence be not written up against you also ! 

A ground swells rather higher than the rest, placed 
us upon an elevation, from whence we looked down 
upon the enchanting vale of Ottowa. A verdant plain 
lay below us, over Avhich two bright rivers were wind- 
ing, the Fox and the Des Plaines, which meeting, 
formed a broad and noble stream, which runs 220 
miles from this spot to the Mississippi. The Illinois, 
first takes that name here. The plain was bounded 
in the distance by groves of stately trees, and by the 
bluffs of the Illinois. In the centre of this fair valley, 
just where the 'bright waters meet,' is the little town 
of Ottowa. It is youngling, just come out, and con- 
tains only 1,006 inhabitants, but is rapidly increasing. 
A gentle descent of about a mile, brought us to the 
banks of the Fox, beneath the shadow of the shrub- 



140 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

bery which fringed its shores we drove ' some time 
following its windings and gazing at the bright sheen 
of its waters glittering through the foliage. We 
forded it twice while crossing the valley, and so pure 
and transparent was the stream, that the pebbles which 
lay upon the sandstone floor, could be seen as dis- 
tinctly as in the hand. The canal passes here, and 
the workmen were building a handsome viaduct, 
across the stream. The Fox river is here about 100 
yards wide, but is low at this season. It rises in Wis- 
consin, and is navigable to within fifteen miles of lake 
Michigan near Milwaukie. Many parts of its shore 
are richly wooded. The rapids upon the stream aflord 
a great amount of water power, serviceable for ma- 
chinery. A short drive, after again crossing the Fox, 
brought us before the door of the principal hotel, 
called the Mansion House. The site of Ottowa only 
having been laid out in 1830, ten years since, you can- 
not expect many details of its fine streets and churches ; 
I leave that for the next year's tourist. The 
buildings principally consist of shops, arranged in a 
square, upon one side of v>^hich is our hotel, and upon 
another side, a large brick court-house is in progress — 
this being a county town. The Ottawans are much 
disappointed that the canal did not terminate at their 
town, instead of Peru, fifteen miles lower down the 
Illinois. Notwithstanding this, the town must in- 
crease, and enjoys considerable trade, as it is sur- 
rounded by a good farming country, prairie and wood- 
land, with abundance of limestone and sandstone in 
its vicinity. Its water power will in time render it 
another Rochester for the Genessee farmers, who will 
soon be raising their grain in the plains around. Be- 



A SUBIIMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 141 

side this it is the centre of an extensive coal basin, 
which crops out in various places in the neighbor- 
hood. Chicago now receives supplies of that article 
here, which she once obtained from Ohio. When the 
Illinois is high, steamboats from St. Louis reach here, 
but at present they ascend no higher than Peru. They 
gave us a very nice supper here, which we partook in 
company with the boarders, travellers, and our driver. 
This last attacked the ham and broiled chickens riffht 
manfully, declaring he was as hungry as a prairie wolf. 
Pray do not expect a bill of fare at every place — suf- 
fice every thing was as good as could be expected — 
nay better, for who would look for such city dainties 
as orange sweetmeats and iced cakes in this young 
wilderness settlement. Every thing desirable can be 
obtained, by the steamboats here, except good cook- 
ing, and style at table — these will come in time, and 
their absence affords variety in our wanderings. 

A peep at the ' Ottowa Republican,' and several 
neighboring papers, amused us until the stage horn 
sounded — we entered our stage — the leaders were 
touched, and we bade adieu to Ottowa I fear forever. 
I shall not soon forget that lovely purple evening, 
which threw such a charm over the scenery as we 
drove from Ottowa to Peru, a distance of fifteen miles. 
Our road lay beside the bright Illinois, upon prairie 
or bottom land, which lines each side of the river 
throughout its whole length, making a valley from one 
to five miles broad, skirted with high limestone and 
sandstone bluffs. The ground was gay with flowers, 
and as the twilight threw its purple haze over the op- 
posite shore, it became alive with hundreds of bril- 
liant fire flies, larger and more luminous than any I 



142 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

had ever seen. Many a time have you and I sat in our 
early days upon the banks of the Passaic, watching these 
brilliant creatures as they starred the black robe of 
night^^but we never beheld them so large,and dazzling 
as these western lights. The river was as smooth as a 
mirror, upon which was reflected the trees and rocks 
with perfect distinctness, but it had a darker hue than 
those bright waters we had passed, being tinted with 
a brownish topaz. I remarked this to my companion, 
who attributed its dark shade to the alluvion and black 
mould through which it flowed. ' It cannot be whole- 
some,' 1 said, 'I should not like to drink it.' ' I guess 
if you had been on top of that rock three hundred 
years ago,' said an old man who sat opposite me, peer- 
ing out the stage at the opposite bluffs, ' you'd been 
glad to drink it ever so muddy or unhealthy.' I opened 
my eyes and stared enquiringly at him. ' That's the 
rock where the Ingins were starved to death,' he said 
in answer to my look. ' Indeed !' I exclaimed, ' Is 
that St arved rock V Our heads were out the window, 
and we looked with much interest upon the scene of 
that Indian tragedy. A high cliff' of alternate sand- 
stone and limestone layers, stands out like a turret 
from the rocky bluffs one hundred and forty feet above 
the river — it was spotted with moss, and fringed with 
trees, which the sun's last rays had tinged with gold, 
and amber, and rose. ' Yes, ma'am, that's the rock,' 
continued our fellow traveller. ' Down to the river 
they sunk their kettles with bark ropes, in hopes of 
getting water, but the cruel Pottawattamies cut the 
strings, and so they died.' And so they died ! What 
images of anguish, sorrow, rage and despair, does 
that short sentence convey to our minds ! 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 143 

The fate of the unhappy band of Illini, who dwelt 
in the fair land which has taken their name, has been 
related by Schoolcraft and Flint j but as I think you 
have not seen their works, I will tell it you. The 
Illini were defeated in battle by the Pottowattamies, 
and retreated to the top of this rock, which by a 
narrow ledge joins the land. This spot they defended 
some time, but at length their provisions and water 
failed. They scorned to surrender, but one by one 
lay down in dignified composure, and, like Caesar, 
drawing their mantles over them, died in silence. 
The last one who had defended the rock at length 
expired, and the enemy seeing no one appear, entered 
the strong-hold to find them all at rest. Their bones 
repose there now. The rock is passed, and upon the 
prairie at our right we behold the brazen glare of a 
fire lighting up a dozen dark figures which are flitting 
around it. This is an emigrant bivouac. Some of 
their wagons taken from their wheels shelter the 
center where the men repose 5 the women and chil- 
dren remain in the other vehicles. A fire in the midst 
keeps off the moschetoes, and perhaps a prairie wolf, 
thus affording under the mild sky a comfortable place 
of repose without the expense of a hotel. The prairie 
grass forms a soft bed for the men, and food for the 
cattle. 

'I reckon the Ottowa folks are pretty considerably 
nettled,' said our old traveller, in a voice which ren- 
dered 'night hideous' wuth its harshness. 'They 
thought the canal would end there, and they would git 
all the trade.' ' The Ottowa folks don't depend on no 
canals, 1 guess,' replied another passenger, apparently 
a neighboring farmer, taking up the cudgels for his 



144< A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

favorite town. ' Ottawa's a great and increasing 
place, which will beat Chicorgo yet. Wait a while 
and you'll see rows of factories and mills upon the 
Fox, and you'll see the rapids scooped out below, so 
that the steamboats can come up at all times, and then 
I would'nt give a cent for your Peru. Ottawa folks 
keep their eyes skinned I tell you !' * Oh ! you prairie 
chickens crow loud; you are always laying out for 
mills to grind the grain what you mean to raise. You'd 
better come and open a shop now, or a bank, at Peru ; 
things will rise when old Tippecanoe comes to the 
white house.' ' Tip me none of your old ginerals, if 
you please, said his opponent. Van's the man for 
"me. Give me Van Buren for President and things 
will rise enough.' The gurgling of water, as we 
forded the Little Vermillion, drowned the noise of 
these village politicians much to my comfort. Soon 
after we found ourselves in the midst of a group of 
Irish shantees, occupied by the canal laborers, flanked 
by a row of low wooden tenements, upon the bank of 
the moon-illumined Illinois. ' This, ladies and gen- 
tlemen,' said the farmer, in a tone of derision, ' is the 
grand town of Peru !' ' Yes, and bigger than Ottawa 
was, when it was as newly settled as Peru,' answered 
the Peruvian disdainfully. As I looked around me, I 
thought of Tinkerville and its public square in the 
forest ; but every thing must have a beginning. The 
steamboat frontier was waiting to receive us, and we 
were soon, with our luggage, translated to her deck. 
Fatigued as we were we could not leave the deck for 
some time, for the night sun^ as the Indians call the 
moon, was shining brightly down upon the smooth sur 
face of the Illinois, lighting up her forest glades as we 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 145 

passed, and throwing fantastic shadows over the silver 
water. However, a night and a day in a stage coach 
has beaten all romance out of us, and we at length 
retreated to our snug state-room. The mosquitoe 
nets were drawn over ns, and we soon bid to nature 
and to you a fair good-night. 



13 



LETTER VII. 

Peoria, July 8th. 

My dear E. — We were detained during the night 
by a heavy fog, and instead of reaching Peoria at six, 
found at breakfast we were many miles this side 
of it. Breakfast over, I have seated myself upon 
the guards, a sort of balcony which runs around the 
outside of the steamboat, and with note-book in hand 
am prepared to give you a faithful picture of all I see. 
The river is still and bright, reflecting every little 
twig and leaf. There is no villa, or ruins, or 
lordly mansion to embellish the scenery, but it is 
indebted to its wild forests alone for its loveliness. It 
flows and bends in a very graceful manner around the 
soft green islets, or low points fringed with trees of 
new and unknown form and beauty. Frowning above 
the trees in the back ground are the cliffs, waterworn 
as if once the river's ancient bound. Occasionally 
our track lay close to the shore, and we gazed into 
the forest's deep recesses; now a dark jungle is before 
us, haunt of the wolf and the panther ; and again, a 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 147 

noble grove of witch elms, or long vistas through 
which the early morning sun was streaming, or a 
patch of brilliant smooth sward surrounded by a circle 
of trees, the papaw, or the silvery barked white maple, 
its bright green leaves turning up their silver lining 
to the breeze. Sometimes a little bay appeared be- 
tween two promontories, covered with yellow and 
white water lillies, and the perfumed nymphea odo- 
rata, the home of the swan or the wild fowl. The 
willow here occurs frequently, dipping its leaves in 
the stream; sometimes the shining willow with its 
long and slender brilliant leaves. The locust is fre- 
quent; many varieties of oak, the red bud, cotton 
wood, and many other trees festooned with vines of 
every tint and variety. 

I wished much to see a prairie wolf, and looked 
out eagerly among the forests in vain. Just now a 
man who was looking to the shore exclaimed ' There's 
a wolf!' he pointed to the spot, where some dark 
animal was cowering under a log. My companion 
declared it was a pig, and some one else a dog, what- 
ever it was, it soon run away into the forest. I de- 
clared it should be a wolf, and to please me, it was 
unanimously voted a prairie wolf. A deer I looked 
for in vain ; the noise made by our puffing high 
pressure engine, being sufficient to scare every 
animal away from our path. We passed Hennepin 
during the night, and this morning Lac on and Rome, 
both small places, situated upon those elevated banks 
or plateaus, which alternate with the woodlands along 
the river. The two first are both in Putman coun- 
ty containing two hundred and fifty-two square miles, 
and a population of two thousand one hundred and 



148 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

tliirty-one. The stream which had become narrower, 
about a quarter of a mile in width ; now swelled 
out in an expanse two miles broad and twenty long, 
called Peoria lake, by the indians Pin-a-ta-wee. It 
abounds with fish we were told, as sturgeon, buffalo, 
perch, pickerel, and cat fish and the alligator, garr, 
seven feet long, covered with scales, the former we 
had often seen during the morning, spring from the 
water, and plunge back again leaving a silvery circle 
growing wider and wider upon the polished surface 
of the river. The water was now unruffled by a rip- 
ple, the shore at our left covered with forests throwing 
their shadows over the water while upon a high bank 
at our right, was the pretty town of Peoria, It was 
a very sweet and tranquil picture. This has ^ver 
been a favorite haunt of the Indians and French. 
In 1779 a villag-e stood here called La Ville de Mail- 
let, inhabited_by French courier des bois, Indian hun- 
ters, and fur traders, a stopping place for the French 
upon the lakes and their settlements on the Mississipi. 
Subsequently Fort Clarke was erected here for the 
United States troops, and now a pretty town with six 
houses of worship, several acadamies, market houses 
shops, h 3tels, breweries, mills, and dwellings and a 
handsome court-house with pillared portico and tin 
covered cupola have arisen upon the bank. The shore is 
composed of pebbles, about twenty feet high, extend- 
ing back one quarter of a mile, where another step of 
six or ten feet brings you to a fine prairie, leading to 
the bluffs. A row of buildings surmounted the banks 
principally shops, but among them we observed 
several small taverns, as the Napoleon Coffee House, 
Union Hotel, and Washington Hall. Upon a brick 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 1.49 

house farther in town my companion espied the sign 
of the Clinton Hotel, which being the house to which 
he had been recommended, he accepted the services 
of the porters of that establishment, who with those 
of the other houses had been soliciting his custom. 
How to land, was the next consideration, for upon 
rivers Avhich have so great a rise and fall, it is difficult 
to construct wharves. After grounding, backing 
fastening a stake in the mud for a rope, which imme- 
diately came out again, we were at last stationary. A 
plank was then projected to the shore, down which we 
were all trundled. We had now reached the end of our 
journey, one hundred and seventy miles from Chicago, 
and took leave of the Chicago line, being left to our 
own devices to wander farther. We found the Clin- 
ton hotel a good house, and charges low, being only 
one dollar and twenty-five cents a day each. The 
host is a very gentlemanly person, and the ladies of 
the family well educated and agreeable. We partook 
of a very good dinner of native produce, even to the 
wild raspberry tarts, which appeared at desert. I like 
this much more than being fed upon foreign dainties 
which one can procure any where. There was a pic- 
ture in our dining room which was a complete sign of 
the times 5 upon it was painted a cider barrel, from 
which a man was drawing ' hard cider,' bearing the 
motto, ' Old Tip's claims to the White House cannot be 
jumped.' This had been borne as a banner by the 
Peoria delegation at the whig convention of Fort 
Meigs. If one might judge by what one sees. Gen. 
Harrison will have the votes of all the west, as he 
seems to be very popular as far as we have been. 

Upon returning to the parlor we found a centre table 

13* 



150 A SUM3IER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

containing annuals, and several excellent volumes of 
the best authors, bearing the names of the young 
ladies of the house. While I looked over these, my 
companion took up the Peoria Democrat, and expres- 
sed his surprise to see such a paper in so new a place, 
and in it such proofs of the trade of the place. The 
tj^De and paper were as good as any in our city, and 
contained advertisements of goods, drugs, wines, 
fruits, and other articles, which makes one wonder 
how such things could find their way there. Another 
column explains this, where are notices of steam- 
boats which ply between this place and St. Louis, but 
three or four days voyage to New Orleans; conse- 
quently, one may command any thing here. In three 
years the Michigan canal will be finished, which will 
open a communication with the Atlantic through the 
lakes and the New York canals. Peoria cannot fail of 
being a place of much business, for besides the above 
named advantages, the land around it is rich prairie, 
interspersed with wood land, or timber, as they call it 
here, crossed by several mill streams. It is but 
seventy miles from Springfield, the capitol of Illinois, 
a large and handsome town, doing a great deal of 
business, and situated in the celebrated county of San- 
gamon. 

Over the level country around Peoria good roads 
arc laid out in every direction. A railroad is in con- 
templation from hence to the Mississippi at Warsaw, 
while another, the Bloomington and Peoria railroad, 
is soon to be laid down from this to the Mackinaw 
river, forty miles. It is on the high road from the 
gulf of Mexico to the north, and already travellers 
are taking this rout to the eastern States. We found 



A SUnDIER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 151 

here a young lady and her father who had come fronri 
Mobile. They left there in a steamboat for New 
Orleans, from thence other steamboats brought them 
up the Mississipp to Quincy, from whence they rode 
in a stage to Peoria. They were on their way to 
New York, and had taken this rout from its novelty. 
In the afternoon we rambled down to the shores 
where I found some very pretty pieces of agate, 
jasper, and other pretty pebbles, and gathered several 
singular shells and flowers. The shells were princi- 
pally large muscle, lined with pearl, some of them 
beautifully irredescent. A neat cottage on the bank 
with its door open looked so inviting that we ventured 
to enter and ask for a glass of water. The woman 
willingly filled a pitcher from a cool spring near, and 
invited us to sit down. She looked ill, and the chil- 
dren around her were thin and pale. I asked her the 
cause, and heard a sad story of fever and ao-ue sick- 
ness. They had removed from Pennsylvania, and had 
all been ill as soon as they arrived, but had hopes of 
being after a while acclimated, The cause of their 
sickness was as usual, their exposure to the heavy 
fogs which arise from this river at night, which stran- 
gers should avoid for a year at least — and probably 
other imprudence. Her husband was a carpenter, 
who had sufficient employment where they had lived, 
and there they were well and happy. To mj^ question 
of the cause of their removal she answered. ' Oh, 
he had heard of the west, where every one is sure to 
get rich, and so he came.' Most of the emigrants we 
have met with could give us no better reason for 
removing hither than this woman. They hear the 
west spoken of as a great, rich, and rising country j 



152 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST, 

pull up their household by the roots, and, ' westward 
hold their waj''.' I believe no one but our people can 
thus readily leave their homes, and the graves of their 
fathers to seek a residence in new and untried regions. 
Among the emigrants, we were often surprised to see 
so many from the neighboring States. Hoffman met a 
man during his ' winter in the west,' who had removed 
his household from one end of the State of Michis^an to 
the other, merely because, the mould was a foot 
richer at Kalamazoo — his own being- eiofhteen inches . 
A man removes from the eastern border to the west 
of Pennsylvania. Perhaps he there erects a house and 
in a few years sees a good farm around him ; another 
wishing to remove west, offers him a sum for it, so 
much larger than his original outlay, that he is 
tempted to sell, and emigrate farther west. He with 
this money purchases a place of a man in Ohio, who 
sells in the same way and passes on. In a few years 
the Pensylvanian again sells, and again removes, so 
that there is a constant stream going step by step to 
fill up the immense plains and valleys which here 
abound. Fashions for emigration prevail ; a place 
becomes popular ; every one is excited by the accounts 
of this new Dorado^ and westward ho ! is the cry. 
Boon's, Lick in Missouri, Salt river, Platte river, 
Oregon, Rock river, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa, 
each have had its run, and its partisans. But there is 
'more than meets the ear,' in this; fortunately their 
destinies are not left to the guidance of their own 
variable fancies. There is an overruling Power, at 
whose command their steps are hither bent. When I 
see them on their march ; people from every nation, 
men, women, and little ones, and cattle winding down 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 153 

the road in their wagons, filling the steamboats, 
and crowding the stages, all pressing in large bodies 
towards the land of milk and honey, they remind me of 
the Hebrews plucked up from an over-grown country, 
and led with an Almighty hand, to the land of promise. 
May these travellers, study the eventful journey of the 
Palestine emigrants, and shun those errors by which 
they were driven forth from its fair fields. The He- 
brews were told, if they would obey their heavenly 
leader, ' the land shall yield her increase, and the trees 
of the field shall yield their fruit' — and ' ye shall eat 
your bread to the full and dwell in the land safely,' and 
' ye shall lie down and none shall make 3^ou afraid' j 
' I will be your God and ye shall be my people.' * 
What magnificent promises ! And how powerful the 
promiser ! Oh that these people would lay these 
words to their heart, and consider well the Hebrew's 
fate ! They were also promised to be made ' high 
above all nations which He hath made, in praise, in 
name, and in honor.' f There be those who predict 
this for our country ; let these read the conditions by 
which this maybe obtained, and dread curses |1 which 
await a failure ! We continued our stroll, back of 
the town across the prairie, or steppe upon which it is 
built, to another about twelve or fifteen feet above it. 
From thence is a fine plateau which reaches to the 
bluffs. As we sat upon this eminence the view was 
very pretty. The sun had been long gone, but a 
delicate amber shaded with purple tinted every thing. 
Below us^ was the green prairie crossed Avith dark 
purple paths over which the 'lowing herds' were 
winding slowly, as if loth to leave their free pastures 

* Lev. sxvi, 4, 12. f Deut. xxvi, 19. [| Deut. xxviii, IG. 



154 A SUMBIER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

for the confinement of a barn yard. The cattle 
raised upon prairie grass are very fat, and the Illinois 
beef commands a ready sale in the New Orleans 
markets. The butter and milk we met with here was 
uncommonly rich, equal to our first rate Goshen 
butter. Beyond the prairie is the town, beneath 
which, flows the quiet Illinois, bounded by dark for- 
ests and elevated bluffs. While Ave were thus sitting 
enjoying the ' coming on of grateful evening mild,' the 
deep silence was broken by the sweet sound of a 
church bell, echoing over the river and the still for- 
ests. At once these words of Milton so very appro- 
priate to our situation sprang to our lips; 

**0n a plat of rising ground 
I hear the far olf Curfew sound, 
Over some wide watered shore, 
Swinging slow with solem roar." 

There was apparently an evening meeting about to 
be held, and we rejoiced we should be enabled to en- 
ter the courts of the Lord, a privilege we had been 
denied for some time. Our path to the town lay past 
several very pretty cottage residences, ornamented 
with shrubbery and flowers — thence, following the 
sound of the bell v/e found ourselves before a small 
meeting ho,use. It happened fortunately to be the 
meeting which enjoyed the administration of the Rev. 

Mr. S g, of the presbyterian persuasion, whom we 

found to be a very pleasing, intelligent, and pious 
man. We were very much gratified with his discourse, 
which we found very appropriate. He spoke of man 
as a traveller, the end of whose journey must cer- 
tainly one day approach, and earnestly bade us to take 
thought for that event, as there were many there 
who ' before the frost is spread over our prairie, may 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 155 

be lying under its sod.' He reminded us much of 
Amos, the herdsman of Tekoa, for his similies were 
all drawn from rural objects — the sun, the clouds, the 
prairie, the river, and the scenery around him. We 
no longer wondered at the accounts we had receiv- 
ed of the high religious and moral standing of the 
place, and the great amount of good done in it. This 
last year, twenty-three thousand dollars were contribu- 
ted by the people of Peoria towards charitable and 
relia^ious institutions. We walked home under a 
bright moon, our hearts much refreshed by all we had 
heard, and we were rejoiced the Lord had placed such 
a faithful servant in these fair prairies, to uphold his 
name. ^ 

July^ 9th. — While wandering along the shore this 
morning, we descried the smoke of our expected 
steamboat, and hastened back to the hotel to pack our 
trunks. It was the Home, from Peru to St. Louis, 
and we were to take passage in her for Alton, on the 
Mississippi. We bade adieu to sweet Peoria with re- 
gret. The remembrance of it will long ' perfume our 
minds,' as old Izaak Walton says. Its situation, its 
excellent society, and religious privileges, and its good 
schools, must certainly make it a desirable place of 
residence, or of trade. It is two hundred miles from 
St. Louis, and one hundred and seventy from Chicago. 
When in the saloon of the Home we were pre- 
sented with a book in which to write our names, 
place of residence, whither bound, and oui' politics. 
While leaving this, our eyes fell upon a piece of pink 
satin, framed, which hung against the wall, upon which 
was printed the rules of the boat. Among other things 
it forbid * any gentleman to go to table without his 



156 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

coat, or any other garb to disturb the company. No 
gentleman must pencil-work or otherwise injure the 
furniture j (I suppose whittling was meant. Upon our 
lake boat we saw the boxes of merchandize and bar- 
rels on deck, fast disappearing under the whittling 
knife. A piece a foot long and two inches wide would 
be torn from the box and cut to pieces by a restless 
passenger.) Beside these, we were told * no gentle- 
man was to lie down in a berth with his boots on, and 
none enter the ladies' saloon without permission from 
them.' We found in this boat, three indications of 
being near the south, liquors upon the table, gambling 
in the gentlemen's cabin, and a black chambermaid 
slave to the captain. Among the passengers, were a 
man with his wife and sons, unlike the most I had met, 
going west, but making a retrogade motion to the 
east. They were driven away they said by the fever 
and ague, from which they had been suffering ever 
since their removal west. Their yellow gaunt ap- 
pearance fully testified to the truth of this. He had 
been a shop keeper in the State of New York, who ex- 
periencing some reverses, was persuaded to remove 
to this golden region by his wife, who was now no 
longer able to lead the village fashions. He bought a 
lot, and mill privilege, in an embryo town — their house 
was situated under the boughs of a forest impenetra- 
ble to the sunbeams, surrounded by decaying leaves, 
moist new soil, and a mill pond. The town's people 
were too busily occupied in building banks and hotels, 
to dig wells, and drinking out of the marshy springs, 
of course all fell ill by turns. Their boy, they said, 
had been at ' death's door,' and now, although better, 
was afflicted with an ague ca/ce, which they wished me 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 157 

to feel in his side. I am convinced a little prudence 
and knowledge, will keep many ' healthy, wealthy, and 
wise,' who, without it are easily discouraged, fall into 
difficuliies, and wish to try a new place. We have 
met many upon the road, Avho have nearly equalled 
the old woman on the prairie, who had begun the 
world seven times. 

The other female passenger was a young girl who 
had come doAvn the river in the boat, her home being 
on the prairie, back of Peru. She was a pretty inno- 
cent country lassie about sixteen, travelling alone, on 
a visit to a brother living on the river, whose wife 
was ill and required her services. Her travelling 
dress was a muslin striped with pink ; and her hat one 
of that description we call Dutch bonnets, made of 
pasteboard covered with pink glazed gingham. She 
was rejoiced to examine my wardrobe, and cut new 
patterns, as she lives far from the haunts of men and 
mantua-makers. My Mosaic brooch pleased her much, 
and she asked me if I had bought it of the pedlar who 
she heard had lately arrived in that part of the country 
with a lot of new goods, and whom she was eager to 
see. I was obliged to say I had not purchased it from 
that fashionable depositary. She then proposed to 
show me her clothes ; mine being new to her, she 
supposed her's must be new and desirable to me. At 
her request the chamber-maid drew from the state- 
room a huge chest of black walnut, which she opened, 
and, among other things, displayed a pretty straw 
bonnet trimmed with gay ribbons and flowers. That 
was her Sunday bonnet. She also drew forth a topaz 
pin which had reached here in a pedlar's cart, and was 

a present to her by her brother. ' This pin has lasted 

14. 



158 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

wonderfully,' she said, ' considering how much it has 
been borrowed. At every dance or party when I do 
not go, some of the girls borrow and wear it. It has 
been lent for ten miles around.' This young lady had 
been brought when quite young, by her family, from 
Ohio, whence they emigrated here. They had all 
suffered much from the fever and ague, but were now 
acclimated, or rather had corrected the causes of their 
agues, and she had become fat and rosy. I have re- 
marked in several instances, that the children born 
here, or brought here young, grow up strong and 
ruddy, and their parents suffer the most. It is only 
the first generation who lose their health, as the land 
improves and diseases vanish about their homes by 
the time their children are grown. This family live 
upon a large and productive farm which yields, among 
other things, according to her account, four hundred 
bushels of peaches. In the season of this delicious 
fruit her mother gives a peach feast, inviting all their 
friends and acquaintances, who, after eating as much 
as they like, carry away each a basket full. Her 
family sell several barrels of dried peaches every 
year. 

Twelve miles below Peoria we stopped at the town 
of Pekin, built upon a bank elevated fifteen feet above 
the water during high tide ; but now, all these places 
are much higher. The captain told us he should be 
here some time taking in merchandize, and we em- 
ployed the interval in seeing the lions of the town. I 
told the little country girl our intention. ■ Lions !' 
she said, 'I guess you mean wolves; there are no 
lions in these parts.' 

Pekin is a small place and only contains eight or 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 159 

nine hundred inhabitants, and five or six streets. The 
shops seemed well filled with goods, and presented a 
goodly show of tin, iron-ware,yry-goods, crockery, 
provisions, etc. I purchased a green gauze veil here 
and several small articles, all of which I found much 
more expensive than in our Atlantic shops, freight 
being high on the Mississippi. In paying for them I 
found a new currency here, my shillings and sixpences 
being transformed into bits and pics or picayunes. 
The Pekin Express lay upon the counter which we 
amused ourselves looking over while waiting for 
change. The person who kept the shop turned out 
to be the oldest inhabitant of the place, that important 
personage who, in a storm, always determines if there 
has been ever a greater one or no. He might very 
well be the oldest, as the town is but ten years in 
existence. ' Pekin,' he said, ' would have been ere 
this far ahead of any town upon the river, were it not 
that there were two parties among the commissioners 
who were to lay it out ; these pulling different ways 
the town was nearly lost between them. The rich 
country behind, and the river in front, had befriended 
them, and they soon expected to have their branch of 
the railroad finished to Mackinaw river, whose water 
power and timber bluffs were very valuable.' We 
remarked as we walked, a large hotel nearly finished ; 
a presbyterian, methodist, and several other meeting- 
houses ; office of the ' Tazewell Telegraph' ; academy, 
and some dwellings. We lay here four hours with a 
hot sun reflecting from the sandy bank, impatiently 
watching the barrels of flour which seemed as they 
would never cease rolling from the large store-house 
upon the bank, down to our vessel. These barrels are 



160 A SUMBIER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

from the steam flour mills, which turn out two hun- 
dred barrels a day. Beside these, we took in a hun- 
dred sacks of corn, and some other merchandize. 
The captain seemed well pleased with his morning's 
work, saying he had a streak of luck that day. Three 
miles below this he had another ' streak.' At the 
mouth of Mackinaw river scows were waiting him, 
loaded with bundles of laths and staves, and long dark 
boards, which I took for mahogany, but which proved 
to be black-walnut. The Mackinaw is a clear stream, 
having rich bottom land, bounded by bluffs covered 
with white oak and cedar. The prairies through 
w^liich it flows, are rolling and tolerable land with 
several mill seats. 

The Illinois looked beautiful this afternoon. Its 
glassy Avaters scarcely moved, and it seemed so con- 
tent with its sweet resting place, and at the silent 
admiration of those stately trees, which were sending 
their cool flickering shadows over her and gazing 
down at loveliness, that it would fain linger upon its 
course, as some young languid beauty, conscious of 
a graceful position which is winning admiring glances 
from every beholder. 

Among the trees, beside the usual elm, oak and ma- 
ple, we observed several enormous wild cherry trees, 
nearly one hundred feet in height, and at least fifteen 
feet in circumference, and the paw paw, the coffee 
nut, the red ash, American nettle, a tall, slender tree, 
v/ith pretty red berries, and many unknown to us, or 
to those around us. The islands inv this river are 
small but covered with soft, luxurious herbage. The 
birds and wild fowl were out, enjoying themselves, 
chattering, pluming their wings, and visiting each 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 161 

Other from tree to tree. Among the wild fowl, we 
observed teal and brant, and wild ducks, skimming 
over the water, or wheeling in flocks over our heads. 
One, apparently in a spirit of daring, would set out to 
cross our path — leaving his little cove, he would glide 
with the utmost rapidity over the river in front of us, 
leaving a silver line on the smooth surface of the 
stream, and after we had passed, glide back, bobbing 
up and down upon the waves in our wake. When he arri- 
ved at home, what a quacking and chattering and flut- 
tering was heard! In one little cove, or bayou, was 
a little island, covered with rich grass, and shaded 
from the sun by the dense grove whose branches met 
over it — this seemed to be quite a colony of ducks, 
who were going and coming in rapid but graceful 
evolutions from the main land. A young man who 
stood near us named the place Quackville, and de- 
clared when he returned home he would publish a 
map, and sell off the lots. We passed several towns 
to day, as Liverpool, Havanna, Beardstown — the for- 
mer a small settlement, but which its inhabitants in- 
tend to make larger, as they have already a railroad 
in contemplation across the Mississippi. Beardstown 
is a place of some importance. It is a county town, 
and its commerce greater than any upon the river. 
Mechanics of all descriptions are to be found here, as 
bakers, shoe makers, tailors, blacksmiths, cabinet ma- 
kers, silver smiths, carpenters, joiners, coopers, painters 
&c, &c. see Peck. There are also here steam 
flour mills, saw mills, breweries, distilleries, &c. A 
canal is projected here, to connect the Illinois with 
the Wabash, (which divides the state of Illinois from 
Indiana,) by means of the Sangamon and Vermillion 



162 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

forks. While passing these towns one is surprised at 
their rapid growth, for when Schoolcraft rowed his 
canoe up this river twenty years since, it was a wil- 
derness only inhabited by Indians. Opposite Havan- 
na, the Spoon river enters the Illinois. Its Indian 
name is Amequeon, which means ladle, and is much 
prettier than its present name. It is one hundred and 
forty miles in length, navigable most of the way, and 
capable of being cleared further. The soil is dry un- 
dulating prairie, with considerable timber — and some 
of it upon the forks of the Spoon is the richest in the 
state — its forks and tributaries affording good mill 
seats. It is in the military bounty land, which commen- 
ces just above it, and terminates at the junction of the 
Illinois with the Mississippi, making a triangle of 
five million three hundred and sixty thousand acres, 
about ninety miles along the Illinois, and the base of 
the triangle, ninety miles across to the Mississippi, near 
Quincy. This is appropriated by Congress to the sol- 
diers of the regular army in the war between the Uni- 
ted States and Great Britain. Two thirds of this 
land is prairie, and the rest timbered, crossed by a 
variety of rivers and creeks. The soil is generally a 
black vegetable mould from fifteen to thirty inches 
deep. Much of the best of this land has been bought 
up by a company who have opened an office at Quincy, 
where they sell it from three to ten dollars an acre, 
while other parts are sold at the price government es- 
tablished for its lands all over the States, one dollar 
and twenty-five cents an acre. Government has given 
to the State of Illinois every other section. Sanga- 
mon river comes gliding down over its pebbly floor, 
a pure transparent stream, between Liverpool and Ha- 
vanna. It runs through Sangamon county, of whose 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 163 

fertility, beautiful scenery, crowded population, rich 
prairies, numerous streams, and valuable timber groves, 
we have heard such flourishing accounts. By the 
way, I can never get reconciled to the western cus- 
tom of calling woods timber, woodland, or groves, or 
forest, timberland. My young country girl, Maria, in 
relating an interesting romantic event which had oc- 
curred in her region of country, instead of speaking 
of a ramble in the woods said ' we had gone to walk 
in the timber.' In this famed county is Springfield, 
the capital of the State. The Sangamon river is one 
hundred and eighty miles long, and navigable nearly 
to the capitol, seventy-five miles, by small steamboats. 
With a small expense it can be cleared. We do not 
see the Illinois in all its grandeur, as the water is low. 
It falls, our captain says, one and a half inches a day, 
and has fallen eight feet since June, It will arise in 
the autumn, and when its present channel is full over- 
flows the bottom land to the blufls. This makes the 
river shore, unless very plevated, rather unhealthy, 
and consequently uninhabited. Soon after passing the 
Sangamon, we stopped to take in wood, and we em- 
braced the opportunity to take a sunset stroll in the 
forest. A small cottage embowered among wood- 
piles, inhabited by a v/oodman and his family, were 
the only signs of human life we saw. These sylvan 
solitudes however, are not without their denizens, for 
the birds were skipping from bough to bough, the tur- 
tle were romantically reclining upon the logs beside 
the water, the wild fowls, and the paroquets were 
chattering in concert with the mocking bird. There 
the squirrel also 

" Sits partly on a bougli his brown nuts cracking, 
And from the shell the sweet white kernel taking." 



164 A SUBIMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

Here however in these pretty nooks he sits undis- 
turbed, for no boys ' with crooks and bags' can molest 
his quiet haunts. We enjoyed the deep forest walk 
very much having been now so long cramped in a 
steamboat, and wandered along among the stately beech 
and graceful linden, the black walnut and locust, 
swung upon the festoons of the enormous vines which 
hung down from the trees, and breathed with much 
satisfaction the perfume from the dewy herbage, grape 
vine buds, and yellow jassamin which climbed the 
boughs around us. The steamboat bell recalled us to 
the shore in time to see a steamboat pass, being the 
second we had met this morning. 

There is much travelling upon this river during the 
summer months. Our captain told us he had made 
fifty-eight trips last year from St. Louis to Peru, 
carrying ten thousand passengers. This seems a great 
number, but we are a travelling people, and with the 
emigrants going west, it may be true. I am chary of 
repeating things heard upon the road as 1 know my 
country people delight in quizzing travellers. 1 have 
had some awful examples of this lately, sufficient to 
make me cautious, in regard to certain tourists from 
abroad to this country ; and when told any thing 
dubious, remember the three miles of roast pig ; the 
drunken ladies of Boston; the piano with pantalets 
upon its legs ; the canvass bags to hold specie in times 
of bank troubles, etc. etc. Pretty Maria's travelling 
bonnet, which I described to you, also reminds me of 
the misconceptions to which travellers are liable, who 
take a hasty glance and go not to the best sources for 
information. As proof of the poverty of the country, 
loAv style of dress and manners, an European traveller 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 165 

tells his readers the richest ladies wear hats of their 
own manufacture, made of pasteboard covered with 
calico or gingham. And so they do ; but only to run 
in the garden, or to a neighbor in the connty, for you 
know we all, when in the county, use these as gar- 
den hats, as they shelter the face so well from the sun. 
I wish you could transport yourself here at this 
moment, and seat yourself by me upon the huricane 
deck, and see how perfectly the forest shore is re- 
flected upon the quiet polished Illinois. This stream 
cannot be called a flowing one for it has scarcely any 
current, but reposes in its bed with the tranquility of 
a lake. Now it lies in evening's deep shadow, while, 
as we look above, the topmost plumage is tipt with 
gold — this gradually disappears, — darkness succeeds, 
except where one struggling moon-beam, from the In- 
dians Tibic geezis, night sun^ streams down the long 
forest vista, and lies like a silver ribbon across the 
river. I always go to bed with the chickens while on 
board a steamboat, as alight attracts mosquetoes, and 
here river fog forbids us to sit out of doors — so good 
night. 

July 10. — Off Meredosia. This is a thriving town, 
built upon one of those elevated terraces which occur 
frequently along the river as if on purpose to raise the 
settlements above the damp alluvion, and to give them 
a pretty effect. It is in a good situation to rise, as it 
is a sort of business port to Jacksoviile, to which a 
railroad of twenty-three miles is in operation j and 
Morgan county, upon which it is situated, is a thickly 
peopled district, having good timbered lands, mill 
streams, quarries of lime and free stone j and is wa- 



166 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

tered by many streams. Jacksonville is a large town 
where there are several churches, a court house, mills 
and shops. The Quincy and Danville railroad passes 
throuo-h Meredosia, to the Wabash river, two hundred 
and twenty miles. Through this river, communica- 
tion is held with the lakes. Their exports are be- 
tween two and three hundred thousand dollars, and 
imports five hundred thousand dollars. Here we took 
in several passengers. Six miles below Meredosia is 
Naples, a small collection of shops and dwellings, 
situated upon a high bank. Upon one house, larger 
than the rest, I read the name ' Napoleon Coffee 
House.' I looked around for Vesuvious, but saw it 
not, nor any other Neopolitan traces. The names upon 
this river are very ludicrous, and striking monuments 
of the want of taste in those who bestowed them. 
One would imagine, from reading my last letter, I had 
been travelling in seven league boats, or in a balloon, 
as I have touched at Peru, Pekin, Havanna, Liver- 
pool, Naples, Brussels, Rome, (part in the night,) 
&c. While the Indian names are so pretty, why are 
they neglected for such worn out European designa- 
tions. Peoria, and Illinois, and Ottowa are very pretty ; 
Hennipen is very well, as given in honor of one of the 
early discoverers of this county from France, and it 
might be thought a debt of gratitude, but every 
pioneer has not so good a name, and if this custom is 
followed, it saddles us with such names as already 
abound, viz: Jo Davies' County, Pike, Cook, Higgon- 
bottom, Hancock, Buggsville, Toddtown, D.odgeville. 
Moreover, tlie Indians were the first explorers, and if 
any, they are entitled to this honor. To obviate this 
it has been proposed to take something local, but un- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 167 

less persons of taste are consulted, we shall hear 
of more Bigbonelicks, Bloodyruns, Mud Lakes or 
Crab Orchard's. I wish Congress would take the mat- 
ter in hand, and form a committee of nomanclature to 
name every new settlement. 

We are constantly passing steamboats. In 1836, at 
Beardstown, there were four hundred and fifty arri- 
vals and departures, and at Naples their account was 
the first year, 1828, nine ; from March to June, 1832, 
one hundred and eight, and now, of course all these 
figures must be doubled. Among our passengers we 
have an old Kentucky woman, who has been living 
several years upon this river. She was so rejoiced to 
see a slave again, that soon she and Violette, our 
chambermaid, became quite intimate friends. She fre- 
quently borrowed her pipe to have a comfortable 
smoke out upon the guards, where, with Violette beside 
her, she would smoke and chat for hours. A lady on 
board, who had lately become a convert to temperance 
cause, was extremely ofTended at the sight of spirits 
upon the dining table. Her husband argued for their 
use upon the ground of frequent impure water, and 
fever and ague, from which the stomach is fortified. 
The wife, however, was not convinced ; when, in the 
midst of a high argument, our old woman put her 
head in at the door, and taking out her pipe, after 
slowly puffing ofT her smoke, uttered this oracular 
sentence : ' For my part, I think there are lots of gnats 
strained at, and lots of camels swallowed,' — and dis- 
appeared. The husband left the argument for the 
card table, whence he arose sometime after, grumbling 
at his losses, and galled by the discovery that the 
winner was a well known black legg, whose practice 



168 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

was to live in steamboats during summer, to fleece 
such silly sheep as himself. In the winter he re- 
turned upon his laurels, to New Orleans or St. Louis, 
to revel upon his winnings. 

This morning we passed one of those machines 
employed by government, during low water for the 
purpose of clearing away the sandbars. It is a large 
wooden ark, worked by steam. A great shovel takes 
up the mud, brings it up, and throws it into the scow 
at the other side which is emptied upon the shores. 
The State has appropriated $100,000 to improvements 
upon this river. There are several sandbars, and 
below Ottowa ledges of sandstone which, if removed, 
would render the navigation unimpeded at all seasons 
of the year quite to Ottowa, two hundred and ten 
miles above the mouth of the river. We stopped so 
often to take in freight and passengers, that we began 
to be fearful we should not reach the mouth of the 
river and behold its junction with the stately Missis- 
sippi before dark — however, ' we came a good jog' 
this morning, to use our old Kentucky lady's phrase, 
and now after tea we are sitting upon the guards 
watching for it. We are continually passing streams 
which run into this river — Crooked creek, comes 
down about one hundred miles through a very fertile 
region of country with a soil of argillaceous mould 
from one to four feet deep. * Its banks are lined with 
oak, maple, hickory, black walnut and much other 
valuable timber. Bituminous coal, and free stone 
quarries are also found there. Apple creek, at whose 
mouth is a small settlement ; Macoupin creek, its 
name taken from the Indian Maquapin, a water plant, 

•* Becks Gaz., of 111. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 169 

whose smooth leaf floats upon the bayous and lakes 
in this region ; its esculent root, after being baked 
under heated stones is a favorite food with the native 
tribes. There is a settlement upon this last named 
stream commenced in eighteen hundred and sixteen, 
which then was the most northern white settlement 
of Illinois. The population of the State four years 
after, in eighteen hundred and twenty, was fifty-five 
thousand two hundred and eleven, and now, eighteen 
hundred and forty, it is four hundred and twenty three 
thousand nine hundred and thirty four, a great increase 
in twenty years. We have now upon each hand, the 
two last counties which border the Illinois. Green, 
on the east, contains excellent land, well settled by 
eastern families, many from Vermont. It is one of the 
richest portions of land in the State, traversed by fine 
water courses and bounded by two large rivers, — 
containing beautiful prairies, and excellent timber. In 
the clifTs which border the Mississippi on this county, 
bituminous coal is found among the sandstone and 
limestone strata, and crystal springs flow from their 
sides. Calhoun county on our right is the southern 
point of the triangle containing the military bounty 
lands. The point where the Mississippi and Illinois 
meet is low prairie subjected to inundation and con- 
sequently unhealthy ; coal has been found here, and 
the large trees are famous for their honey. As we 
were near the mouth of the river, and my little fellow 
voyager, Maria, had not yet landed, I asked her how 
far we were from her brother's residence. She said 
she had been looking out for it, but every place had 
a difierent name from that of her brother. I recom- 
mended her to ask the captain ; he sent her word we 

15 



170 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

had passed it twenty miles back. Poor Maria seemed 
overwhelmed with consternation. The town, we 
found upon enquiry, was in the interior, the passengers 
landing at an old tree upon the shore and we all 
now remembered a plain country-man, upon the bank 
who made numerous signs to the steamboat, flourish- 
ing his arms frantically. Maria with the rest supposed 
he was in jest, or a madman, but now remembered he 
was like her brother, who must have seen her and mo- 
tioned her to stop. Maria had expected a own, and 
did not imagine that her stopping place. As our boat 
was so uncertain in its movements the poor man 
must have spent the day upon the shore, and was now 
doubtless very anxious about his young sister. There 
was nothing for her to do now but stop in the steam- 
boat at St Louis until its return trip. I felt sorry for 
the poor girl, only fifteen, and thus left to the tender 
mercy of the world. We spoke to the captain and 
chambermaid, who both promised to take charge of 
her and land her at her brothers when he returned 
next week. The afternoon is beautiful j we are peep- 
ing up the forest glades,, as the channel runs near the 
shore, or inhaling the rich perfume which the summer 
breeze shakes out from the trees. Suddenly the for- 
est is passed and we gaze over the low prairie which 
lies between the two rivers, bounded by a line of 
round green hills which range across the country. 
^ The bluffs of the Mississippi !' exclaimed my com- 
panion, ' and we soon shall see its famous waters.* 
We hastened up to the hurricane deck, and placed 
ourselves in a good situation for beholding the 
scenery ; a little excited at the thought of looking 
upon the grand and celebrated stream. The Illinois 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 171 

flowed as straight and still as a canal, about four hun- 
dred yards wide, we glided over its waters and soon 
found ourselves in a broad majestic stream which 
came rolling down between a range of bluffs ; here, 
a mile broad, upon whose bosom some lonely islands 
stretched across from the mouth of the Illinois. The 
view was delightful upon each side ; the fair plains of 
Missouri at our right, and upon the Illinois side, bold 
beautiful cliffs, or green cone like hills, covered with 
a soft carpet of verdure, sinking down upon the east 
side into lovely green dells. This style of hill is 
called by the French, Mamelle. In one of these 
pretty nooks, nestled at the foot of a bluffy is the 
town of Grafton, from whose balconies the inhabitants 
obtain a fine view up the Mississippi This town is 
only a few years old, but expects soon to rival Alton, 
as most of the travelling from the interior to the Mis- 
souri towns opposite, is through it^ It has already 
laid out upon paper a railroad to Springfield, the cap- 
itol. The rapid tide of the ' father of waters,' pre- 
sented a great contrast to the languid Illinois. The 
color is brown, but of a different tint from the Illinois, 
being a dark coffee brown, but clear and sparkling. 
We looked a last farewell to the fair Illinois, upon 
whose banks, or on whose water we had travelled 
for four days and four nights, a distance of nearly 
four hundred and fifty miles, if we include the Des 
Plaines. The loveliness of the scenery all this dis- 
tance merits the encomiums made upon it by the early 
French writers. This was a favorite river with the 
French, and La Salle, Charlevoix, and Marquette, de- 
scribe the beauty of its shores in glowing terms. 
The bluffs upon the Illinois shore, as we descend the 



172 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

Mississippi, become more bare and precipitous, and 
have a waterworn appearance as if the water had once 
flowed along their summits. The regular stratifica- 
tion of the sandstone and limestone of these clifTs, 
present the appearance of mason work, crowning the 
heights with castellated resemblances, so that we 
might imagine we were passing beneath some moun- 
tain fastness, with its frowning walls, dungon keep, 
and warder's tower. Occasionally masses of white 
limestone are strewed along the shore, or grouped 
upon the green sloping bank, as if some large city 
had there arisen upon the river's side. Turning a 
sharp angle of one of those blufTs we found ourselves 
before a large imposing looking town, built upon the 
bank of the river, which came sloping down from the 
blufTs behind. This we learned was Alton. While 
our crew were mooring our boat upon the steep bank, 
we gazed with great curiosity and interest upon this 
place, larger than any we had seen since leaving 
Detroit fourteen hundred miles behind. To the left 
the rocks were crowned by a large solid looking 
building which we were told was the penitentiary. 
In front was a row of high ware-houses made of lime- 
stone, filled with goods and men ; while a mass of 
houses and steeples at our right were brightly reflect- 
ing the rays of the sinking sun. The shore presented 
a busy scene ', men and carts and horses were trans- 
porting goods or luggage, or busily employed Macad- 
amizing the bank — a great improvement upon the 
wharves we had passed. A large brick building at 
our right hand, with a white porch and steps, bearing 
the sign of 'Alton House,' being our place of destina- 
tion, we directed our course towards it. The keeper 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 173 

of the house being absent, and it being no one's busi- 
ness to take care of ns, we spent some time wandering 
about the well furnished parlors, and staring at the 
waiters who were washing up the tea things in the 
dining-room, ere we could find any one to listen to 
our wants. We had left behind us the land where a 
living is only to be obtained by effort, and where the 
landlord and porters are on the alert in order to catch 
the stranger and take him in. Here, the cool Ameri- 
can manner obtains; and although to the hungry, 
tired traveller rather annoying, yet, when we reflect 
upon the peace, and independence, and plenty, which 
produces this indifference, he will do as we did, throw 
himself upon a sofa, keep cool, and quietly await the 
arrival of somebody. 

While amusing ourselves looking around at the 
furniture, we observed a portrait of, as we afterwards 
learned, the master of the house. As much as we had 
heard of the wild independence, the devil-me-care man- 
ners of our western brethren, we were here taken by 
surprise. He was without his coat — actually painted 
in his shirt sleeves — having upon his head an old 
straw hat ! It was probably a warm day, or he was 
in too much of a hurry to put on his coat when he 
went to sit ; and besides, it was nobody's business but 
his own how he was dressed, or if he were dressed at 
all, and I suppose we may be thankful he retained his 
white robe * any way.' Luxury, refinement, and con- 
ventual forms may be carried to excess; but I am 
not prepared to say the other extreme is better. A 
boarder in the house happening to stray in, we told 
our wants, and he kindly sent a waiter for the master 

of the house. He came instantly and with the orreatest 

15* 



174< A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

alacrity and wish to oblige, took us up stairs. All the 
rooms proving full or engaged, except one too small, 
we were directed to another house, which, after a 
short moonlight walk, we reached. The Eagle tavern, 
a favorite name for hotels, I think, in our country, was 
a comfortable house, although not pretending to the 
style and fashion of the Alton House. And now 
having finished these last few lines, while our supper 
was preparing, I hasten to bid you good-night, 



LETTER VIII. 

Alton, July 11th. 
My dear E. — Harassed by no compunctious visit- 
ings for the enormous package which I dismissed to 
you this morning through the Alton post-office, I have 
seated myself deliberately before my little desk to 
prepare you another. We have spent a delightful day 
among our friends here, and are very much pleased 
with the towns of Alton, for there are two of them. 
We are now, four o'clock, waiting for the steamboat to 
take us to St. Louis, and I employ the time in making 
a few sketches of the place for you. Alton is built as 
I told you, upon a sloping bank. This ground is very 
uneven, and upon some of the elevated portions are 
the public buildings. The churches here are well 
built and numerous, I think seven or eight ; the streets 
wide and airy; places reserved for public squares, 
and several handsome private dwellings. The town 
has arisen rapidly, and from a small town in 1832, it 
has now fine streets, and houses, two hundred being 
built last year j merchants who transact business to 



176 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

the amount of several hundred thousand dollars, and 
even half a million in some instances. Eight or ten 
steamboats are owned here, and two railroads in con- 
templation, and the great national road it is thought 
will be conducted through this place. There are 
several religious societies here, each having houses 
of worship ; among them the baptist church is spoken 
of as being nicely fitted up in the interior ; it is built 
of stone. Every convenience and comfort of life is at 
hand ; coal in profusion in the vicinity of the town, 
which is sold very cheap ; limestone, freestone, and 
water lime, besides other mineral productions abound. 
The markets are stored with wild game — deer, par- 
tridges, prairie hen, and water-fowl ; fruits both wild 
and cultivated ; various sorts of fish ; corn, beef, pork, 
and vegetables of the finest order. Madison county, 
in which it stands, is one of the richest in the 
State, being most of it upon the American bottom. 
It contains seven hundred and ninety square miles, 
and the value of its productions, exclusive of capital 
invested, and cost of buildings, amounts to two 
millions three hundred and sixty-nine thousand 
one hundred and fifty-one dollars and eighty cents. 
Of bushels of wheat, they have raised one hundred and 
sixty-five thousand five hundred and twentjr. Corn 
one million three hundred and four thousand three hun- 
dred and thirty-five bushels. Tobacco, eleven thou- 
sand two hundred and eighty pounds. Capital in- 
vested in manufactures, two hundred and ten thousand 
four hundred and thirty five dollars. But I suppose 
you do not care for these details. If I should come here 

again in a few years, I expect to see Alton three times its 
size, for although it may not rival St. Louis, as the inha- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 177 

bitants imagine, it must be the most considerable place 
after it, west of Cincinnati. The Illinois brings to 
it the produce of the northern lakes and States — the 
Mississippi waft to its doors the exports of the west, 
and takes it over to the Ohio, and to the gulf of 
Mexico, from which last it is only four or five days 
distant. The interests of religion and education em- 
ploy the benevolent inhabitants to a remarkable de- 
gree and many thousands are expended everj- year 
for the furtherance of these objects. Among these 
rre ShurtlifF College, Alton Theological Seminary, Al- 
ton Female Seminary. But enough of statistics, you 
will say, and I hasten to our own personal adventures. 
We ordered a carriage to-day to take us to Upper Al- 
ton, to visit our friends there, and were quite pleased 
to see as nice a coach and pair of horses as we could 
see in our own Broadway. After leaving the town 
we drove through some rich prairie land, interspersed 
with trees, through which we obtained fine views of 
the swift rolling Mississippi, and across it the verdant 
plains of Missouri, with green swelling hills beyond. 
A drive of two miles brought us to Upper Alton, a 
pretty small looking village, Vv'ith spires and neat 
dwellings peeping through the trees. This place is 
very pleasantly situated upon an elevated plateau of 
ground about two miles from the lower town. Fami- 
lies here enjoy great advantages, in regard to the edu- 
cation of their children, as colleges and schools 
abound in its neighborhood. The society of this 
place is very superior, and its situation healthy. 

We found our friends in a large picturesque house 
in the cottage style, surrounded by piazzas, whose 
pillars were wreathed with the clustering Michigan 



178 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

rose, and shaded by the graceful cotton wood, and 
pretty red bud and locust. Here indeed was a western 
paradise ! upon the Mississippi banks we found realized, 
those visions so many have sighed after, a lodge 
in the vast wilderness, a secluded retreat from the 
haunts of men, where the confusions and follies of the 
world are only remembered as a troubled dream. A 
charming young family, and a well selected library, 
render this retirement most delightful. A seminary up- 
on a new plan had been lately erected near their abode, 
and with a view of showing us every thing of interest 
around them, our friends drove us in their carriage 
through a pleasant road in an oak forest, to the Mon- 
ticello Female Seminary. The building is of limestone 
of that region, four stories in height. It stands within 
a lawn ornamented with groups of trees, and a fine 
garden is laid out in the rear. This extensive estab- 
lishment was founded by Benjamin Godfrey, Esq., a 
gentleman of Alton, who, to this benevolent purpose 
devoted a large share of his property. While a resi- 
dent of the west, many examples had come before his 
eyes, of the miseries arising from the imperfect edu- 
cation of the young women who settle here. The 
dearth of servants rendered it necessary for the young 
wives around him to superintend, if not assist in 
household labor, and he saw how much better it was 
they should come prepared for these duties, and quite 
able to perform them, instead of wearing themselves 
out, and pining away over tasks, Avhich, by being new, 
appear much more arduous than they are in reality. As 
the evil lay in a defective system of education, this ge- 
nerous individual at once saw how great a desideratum 
an institution would be, uniting useful with ornamental 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 179 

accomplishments. With a public spirit to be much 
applauded, Mr. Godfrey erected this spacious building, 
for educating * wives for the west.' Eighty young la- 
dies is the limited number, all to be over fourteen years 
of age. With the course of scientific study usual in 
female seminaries, the pupils are taught music, in- 
structed in religion, and in various household duties. 
Among other lessons, they are taught to set a table, 
arrange their rooms, even sweep and scrub them j 
wash, starch and iron all their clothes. Some young 
ladies, who had been bred in idleness, or who had 
come from the indulgent homes of Alton, or luxurious 
««iansions of St. Louis, where slaves await their nod, 
were very reluctant at first to undertake these menial 
employments ; but the advantage which so good a 
school presented in its other departments, rendered 
their mothers deaf to their complaints. They were 
soon, however, broken in, and sing as merrily over 
their wash tubs, as the other pupils. As gain is not 
the object of its generous founder, the price of ad- 
mission is placed low, still there are some, whose means 
are too straightened for even this, and these are allowed 
to pay for their instruction, by labor in the house. 
The eagerness to get admittance for young persons, is 
very great, and many thus receive instruction who are 
of high respectability, and are enabled to attend to 
the younger branches of the family, or even, if re- 
quired, teach others. Some of these young persons 
are beneficiaries of a benevolent society, called the 
' Ladies' Association for Educating Females.' The 
object of this society is to ' encourage and assist 
young females to qualify themselves for teaching, 
and to aid in supporting teachers in those places 



180 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

where they cannot otherwise be sustained.' Young 
females of all ages are selected from poor families 
and placed in schools, where they are watched over 
by these benevolent ladies, their tuition paid, and to 
each, every year, is addressed a circular letter of ad- 
vice, with the donation of an appropriate, instructive 
book. When prepared, they are placed in situations 
where they can support themselves. Several have 
become missionaries, and at this school are two of 
the Cherokee tribe who are preparing to be teachers 
among their people. The great amount of good per- 
formed by these ladies entitle them to the hearty 
wishes of the benevolent and patriotic. The Kev. J. 
Spalding, in his address before the seventh annual 
meeting at Jacksonville, says : ' Since its commence- 
ment it has aided one hundred and forty-seven young 
ladies in their preparation for usefulness and heaven, 
thirty- one of whom are professed followers of the 
Lamb. Now that 1 have thoroughly described the in- 
stitution, we will leave the carriage and enter the 
house. We were shown into a neatly furnished par- 
lor, where we were soon joined by the principal of 
Monticello, the Rev. Theron Baldwin, a gentleman of 
great information and piety. He kindly explained to 
us the principle upon which the seminary was con- 
ducted, and then offered to show us the house. Every 
thing was arranged with the greatest order and neat 
ness. The dining, school, and recitation rooms, were 
large, clean and airy, and the bed rooms commodious. 
Upon the ground floor was a chapel fitted up with the 
beautiful black walnut of their woods; here divine 
service is performed, by the Rev. Mr. Baldwin, to the 
school and people of the neighborhood, who assemble 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 181 

there every Sunday. You see the Illinois people are 
determined their people shall enjoy the blessings of 
education ; and when we reflect how much the destiny 
of our nation depends upon the next generation, we 
cannot devote our time or our money to a better pur- 
pose, than furthering such institutions. We left the 
seminary, pleased with its arrangements, and wishing 
all success to the generous individual who originated 
the establishment. It is delightful to see wealth so 
well employed, to behold the ' just steward' thus ably 
disposing of his master's property. Such disinte- 
restedness shone out in bold relief from the selfish and 
reckless waste of fortune which we had beheld in 
our pilgrimage, like one of his own ' oak islands,' 
upon a sunny and treeless prairie. 

Once more we experienced the pains of parting, 
and were forced to leave our friends that afternoon. 
We returned to our hotel where we are awaiting the 
arrival of our steamboat which is to take us to St. 
Louis. When I look around in this interesting country, 
and upon such touTis as Alton, I wonder why our At- 
lantic cities are so full of people. How many young 
men do I know there, and indeed, whole families, who 
are struggling for a living, and denying themselves 
every comfort that their spare income may suffice, to 
give them a showy appearance in public ; crammed 
into crowded boarding houses, narrow, hot, dusty 
streets, when there is here in this wide beautiful 
land, room, fresh air, fine scenery, employment, every- 
thing to be enjoyed, at half the expense they are forced 
to lay out among so many discomforts. The steamboat 
bell warns me to put up my note book, and I will re- 
sume when aboard. 

16 



182 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 4 

We found ourselves in a small steam-boat, which 
makes regular trips between this town and St Louis, 
twenty-five miles. Alton looked very pretty when we 
turned to bid a sorrowful adieu, and we regretted 
our time would not allow us to remain in this inter- 
esting place. We are now all eagerly looking out, 
for the giant Missouri, whose junction with the 
Mississippi is but two miles below Alton. At length 
the point is in view, all gather upon the guards, and 
bend our eyes towards the right shore, — we are now 
before the mouth and behold an extraordinary scene. 
The Missouri does not, as travellers tell us, come 
rushing, and bounding, and dashing along, striking 
the Mississippi with such a concussion that volumes 
of mist arise in the air, — we beheld nothing so 
wonderful — a broad stream rolled down between its 
verdant banks, rapidly, and very like a torrent, but 
in quite a decent and proper manner. Its color — 
alas, for our pellucid lakes — is a tint not often recog- 
nized by artists, but generally called gruel or soap-suds 
hue. It holds in solution such an extraordinary quan- 
tity of clay, that one wonders how the steamboat can 
force its way through it. Its rapid current is distin- 
guished by the curls and little whirlpools among the 
mud. Where it meets the Mississippi is a small ridge 
of clay, and thick masses push themselves under the 
clear brown water, coloring it more and more with its 
impurity, until at last, the unhappy Mississippi, after 
struggling for some time, is completely lost in the 
clayey stream, as some pure young heart, striving 
against temptation, but lost at last. The streams con- 
tinue separate for some miles below St. Louis, and there 
the river takes the Missouri character. I looked up 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 183 

the vista of this grand stream, as we passed its mouth, 

with sentiments of awe. A mighty mass of water — it 

came rolling down nearly four thousand miles from its 

source in the wild recesses of the Rocky Mountains, 

bearing upon its bosom, not a fleet of Argosies, but 

materials for their construction in whole forests of 
gigantic trees. 

Such an admirer of water as you know I am, you 
may be sure I regretted the soiling of my bright bru- 
nette Mississippi. To watch the foam of our vessel 
had been a favorite pastime, but alas, what a change 
from the diamond and emerald of our lakes, the topaz 
of the Illinois, the Zircon of the Mississippi to the 
soapsuds of the Missouri. I have called the Missis- 
sippi coffee color ; it is now coffee-au-lait, and in- 
dignant must the father of waters be under so great 
an oppression. Several green islands adorn the stream, 
and the shores are spotted with a few houses, and now 
chimney, and roof, and tower, piled up against each 
other, proclaim a city, and we are soon in sight of the 
city of St. Louis. An old castellated Spanish man- 
sion is the first relic we have seen of that brave Cas- 
tilian race which once reigned over these broad lands. 
It is, I think, their ultima thula^ their most northern 
point. The appearance of St. Louis, from the water, 
is very much like Albany, as it is built upon rising 
ground, consisting of two plateaus of land, the last 
elevated several feet above the other, but its water 
craft gave it quite a different character. We are used 
in our cities to behold the water in front, bristling 
with masts, but here we saw steamboats alone, there 
being about seventy moored at the wharves, which 
gave a novel and western appearance, to the scene. 



184« A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

The flat boat, is fast disappearing, and steamboats, 
are the only style of boat, with few exceptions, 
which we see j of tl.ese, five hundred and eighty eight 
have been built upon the western waters.* The city 
of St Louis stretches a mile along the elevated shore, 
and nearly the same distance back. We almost fan- 
cied ourselves in New York again, so great was the 
stir upon ti e wharf. The ware-houses, of brick or 
limestone, made of the rock upon which they stand, 
appeared filled with goods and customers, boxes and 
bales, carts and barrows were floating about, and every 
one seemed active except the negro slaves who were 
plodding about their work with the usual nonchalant 
gait of this merry but indolent nation. We missed 
our good wharves at home, and even the paved bank 
of Alton, for a shower had rendered the shore muddy. 
Surely some Yankee might contrive a more com- 
modious landing ; something that might rise and fall 
with the river, or a long pier. We drove to the Mis- 
souri House, where we arrived in time for tea, and at 
night were lulled to sleep by a Spanish guitar, and 
chattering of French voices from the shops and cafes in 
our neighborhood. 



Hall. 



LE TTER IX. 

St. Louis, July 12. 
My dear E. — The days we have spent here, we 
have been very busy, except Sunday, in examining 
every thing in and about this place. It is a very nice 
city, and one of much importance, has increased much 
lately, and will continue to increase. Its population 
is twenty-four thousand five hundred and fifty-five. In 
1825 it was only six thousand. There are several 
good churches here, some of which, we attended to- 
day, it being Sunday. There is a pretty episcopal of 
the Gothic form, a baptist church, of brick, having a 
neat white porch in front — an unitarian, of plaster — 
a methodist, and a large cathedral belonging to the 
catholics. This is an odd picturesque building, and is 
one hundred and thirty-six feet by eighty-four broad, 
built of grey stone. You enter by a porch supported 
by four Doric columns. The body of the church is 
divided by columns, lighted by elegant chandaliers ; 
the sacristy and altar are very handsome ; the windows 
of painted glass ; and their is in the church a fine 

16* 



186 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

painting of St. Louis, presented by Louis XVIIL The 
bells are from Normandy. We had penetrated two 
thousand miles in the wilderness of the west, and 
were glad to find we had not yet ' travelled beyond 
the Sabbath.' 

What nice resting spells these Sabbaths are ! When 
whirled upon the stream of life, our attention occu- 
pied in avoiding the snags and sawyers and cross 
currents in our channel, hoAV refreshing, how neces- 
sary is it for us to anchor for a little while, and look 
about, and consider our future course. The Sabbath 
is a precious anchor to the soul, giving it time to 
meditate upon its future career, and consult those 
charts v.diich a kind heaven has sent to direct its 
route. The Sabbath is necessary to man, and was 
given in mercy, Physicians tell us rest is required 
for the machinery of man ; that the brain and nerves, 
while forever upon the stretch will decay much sooner 
than if sometimes relaxed. It was the opinion of the 
great Wilberforce, that the suicide of Lord London- 
derry and that of Sir Samuel Romilly was owing to 
their neglect of this day of rest. Speaking of the 
death of the former he says, * he . was certainly 
deranged — the effect probably of continued wear and 
tear of the mind. But the strong impression of my 
mind is, that it is the effect of the non-ohservance of 
the Sabbathyhoih as abstracting from politics, from the 
continual recurrence of the same reflections, and as 
correcting the false views of worldlj^ things, and 
bringing them do\vii to their own indistinctness. He 
really was the last man in the world who appeared 
likely to be carried away into the commission of such 
an act, so cool, so self possessed! It is very curious 



A S¥MMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 1G7 

to hear the newspapers speaking of incessant applica- 
tion to business, forgetting that by a weekly admission 
of a day of rest, which our Maker has graciously 
enjoined, our faculties would be preserved from the 
effects of this constant strain. I am strongly im- 
pressed with the recollection of your endeavors to 
prevail upon the lawyers to give up Sunday consulta- 
tions in which poor Romilly would not concur. If he 
had suffered his mind to enjoy such occasional relax- 
ations it is highly probable the strings would never 
have snapped, as they did, from over extension.' 

July 13th. — This morning we took a coach and 
drove about to every thing worth seeing in the city, 
In the French part of the town, the streets are narrow 
and present quite a foreign and antique appearance. 
Here are several neat, white-washed steep roofed 
dwellings surrounded by piazzas, and occupied by the 
French part of the community. Main street, which 
corresponds with our Pearl street, runs parallel with 
the river, about a mile. It appears a very busy street 
and here one may obtain goods from all quarters of the 
world brought up from New Orleans, — and domestic 
wares from the country around. As you ascend from 
the river the streets are wider and better built, and the 
upper end of the city is laid out in wide streets fast 
filling up with handsome buildings, public and private, 
some of these last, surrounded by courts and adorned 
by trees. Here many eastern people dwell. A gen- 
tleman of the place, told us there had been nine hun^ 
dred houses put up in the city this year, and from 
appearances I should think this a true estimate. There 
is a medical college in progress, and a large hotel 



188 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

nearly finished, which is said to be the largest hotel in 
the States. It is of red brick ornamented with white 
marble, and is altogether a handsome building. It is 
to be called the ' St. Louis House.' Several institu- 
tions are conducted by catholics, as the Convent of 
the Sacred Heart, and the University of St Louis. In 
the library of the latter are nearly seven thousand 
volumes. The court house is of brick, with a circular 
portico supported by white colums. It stands in a 
large court in the centre of the city surrounded by an 
iron railing. We entered the hall, and ascending to 
the cupola, beheld a very delightful scene. The city 
is laid out as in a map below us — behind stretch the 
verdant prairies, in front the swift rolling Mississippi, 
and beyond it, the rich fields of the American bottoms 
in Illinois, and the white buildings of Illinois town 
opposite. While leaving the court house we were 
attracted by some advertisements upon the door, for 
the sale of slaves. We noticed one for the sale of 
'Theresa, a likely negro girl about twelve years of 
age.' This was our first intimation we were in a land 
of slavery. You must not expect a dissertation upon 
slavery, for whatever my opinions are I shall keep them 
to myself, as I cannot mend or alter the state of things 
by my advise, nor is it a woman's province to meddle 
in such high matters of State. However 1 might 
think, I certainly shall never speak in public upon the 
subject, as I have a good old friend, called St Paul, 
and he in one of his letters says 'It is a shame for a 
woman to speak in public,' and ' women should be 
keepers at home.' It is true I am not a keeper at 
home just now, but I am travelling for health, and not 
to enlighten the people with my wisdom. The num- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE AVEST. 189 

ber of slaves in Missouri is forty eight thousand nine 
hundred and forty-one — its entire population is five 
hundred thousand. We visited a museum here, cele- 
brated for its collection of organic remains, and we 
were surprised at the number and good preservation 
of these 'medals of creation.' The owner and keeper 
of this museum is Mr. Koch, a man of great enthusiasm 
upon the subject of paleantology. He had just returned 
from an expedition to the interior of Missouri from 
whence he had procured ninety weight of bones. 
Seeing our interest in these things he admitted us 
into an interior room which had the appearance of a 
charnel house, filled with bones and skeletons, which 
his servant was covering with preparation to pre- 
serve them from the effects of the air. Among 
them were gigantic remains of the mastodon and 
other huge animals, with teeth in excellent preserva- 
tion. This museum contained many well preserved 
specimens, the most important of all was a huge 
animal with tusks, which he called missourium. 
He found also a head of an unknown animal which 
is certainly the largest quadruped whose remains have 
been discovered, having two horns each ten feet long, 
extending out horizontally on each side, making with 
the head, a length of twenty-five feet from the tip of 
one tusk to that of the other. The missourium, so called 
from the State in which it was found, was an animal 
much larger than the elephant, having tusks meas- 
uring four and a half feet in length, and one and a 
half in circumference near the head. These animals, 
with the antediluvial rein-deer, and horse of a large 
size, and myriads of broken bones, were found by Mr. 
Koch last May, near the sulphur springs, at Little 



190 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. " 

Rock creek, twenty-two miles south of St. Louis. 
They were in a valley surrounded by high cliffs ; this 
great deposite of bones forming an ' osseous brescia, 
such as is found upon the east coast of the Meditterra- 
nean sea.' ' The lower strata upon whose surface these 
bones were deposited,' says Mr. Koch in his written 
description which he gave us, ' consists of a bluish 
sand resembling that which is often found upon the 
bottom of the Mississippi.' These bones were ce- 
mented in a layer of gravel one and a half feet in 
thickness. The cement is calcareous, of a yellow 
grey color, containing saltpeter. It combines the 
bones and gravel together, so that it is with the 
greatest difficulty they can be separated ; this layer 
is covered with a crust of chrystalization. The next 
strata is composed of small pieces of rock, and bones, 
broken, and in some instances ground to powder ; 
these rocks are limestone, some of them weighing 
several tons. The next strata is blue clay from two 
to four feet in thickness, containing few bones j this 
clay is covered with broken rocks again, above which 
is the soil covered with trees. The whole mass 
makes a hill, sloping down from the rocky bluff, of 
thirty or forty feet, to the creek. Mr. Koch is of 
opinion these animals herded together, and sought 
shelter under these cliffs during some great convul- 
sion of nature, and here met their death by being 
crushed by crumbling rocks, and covered with debris. 
Here we saw also the remains of that animal which 
I mentioned in one of my former letters as having 
been killed by human hands. Beneath it had been 
built a fire of wood, and around it were Indian axes, 
and large pieces of stone which had been thrown at it 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 191 

as if for the purpose of killing it. The animal had 
evidently been mired and killed by the inhabitants, 
This is a discovery of great importance, proving the 
mastodon, according to Indian tradition, had lived 
since the deluge. He showed us the elephant fish, or 
spoonbill, taken from a lake in Illinois, which was 
saturated with oil, although it had been cleaned and 
dried several years; also some live specimens of 
prairie animals — the wolverine, the prairie wolf, and 
the marmot or prairie dog, a small grey animal, 
famous for dwelling in the same nest with the prairie 
owl. You have heard of this prairie dog, whose 
villages extend over many acres in the prairies ; they 
burrow under the ground, having, over the entrance 
to their hole, a small mound about two feet high and 
eighteen inches wide. Charles Lucien Bonaparte says 
of them, ' It is a very odd circumstance that this owl 
and dog should share the same habitation, but so it is ; 
and they present an example of unity which is quite 
pleasing.' Another striking feature in the case of 
these animals is, they make the same cry, cAeA, cheh^ 
pronounced several times in rapid succession. 

In the afternoon we strolled out to the suburbs of 
the town to see the Indian mounds, several of which 
are grouped together near the river bank, in the envi- 
rons of the city. One of them is enclosed within the 
grounds of General Ashley, an ornament as rare as it 
is beautiful. Upon another is built the city water- 
works. Upon one, about twenty feet high, a truncated 
cone, covered with soft grass, we seated ourselves, 
enjoying the silence, and watching the Mississippi's 
flood rolling below us, while we mused upon the fate 
and fortunes of these ancient ' mound builders.' The 



192 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

thermometer had stood at ninety-six all day, and we 
were glad to escape the heat and dust of the city. 
The sun had disappeared, but had left a soft amber 
radiance upon shore and river, and a purple haze upon 
the tops of the distant bluffs of Illinois. While gazing 
upon these monuments, and looking at the relics of a 
lost race which they contain, we try in vain to pierce 
the mists of time and answer the ' who were they 1' 
which we ask ourselves. The vast valley between 
the Alleghany mountains, and the Rocky or Chippe- 
wayan chain, is studded with these antique mounds, 
from three feet to two hundred feet in height. They 
are generally in the form of a parallelogram except 
in the north-west where they take the shape of a cone, 
and by a late discovery, in Wisconsin, they are seen 
taking the figure of men and animals. There is a 
human effigy which is one hundred and twenty-five 
feet long ; the others are rude resemblances to the 
buffalo, birds, alligator, etc.; these are all lying down 
upon the surface of the earth. Our Indian tribes each 
take the name of an animal, as fox, beaver, buffalo, 
etc., which custom might have also prevailed with the 
effigy builders. There are several grouped together 
here, around the one upon which we are sitting, and 
several upon the Illinois shore opposite. These last 
consist of small ones surrounding a larger one, which 
has a circumference of six hundred yards at the base, 
and is ninety feet in height; half way down the side 
is a step, or platform, cut into the hill about fifteen 
feet wide. It is called Monk's hi>l, from the circum- 
stance of its having been the residence of some monks 
of La Trappe, who, during the troubles of the revolu- 
tion, fled to this country and built a house upon this 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 193 

mound. Here they kept a garden and supported them- 
selves selling its produce at St. Louis, and by repair- 
ing clocks and watches. Their penances were very 
severe. What an illustration of Shakspeare, 'patience 
on a monument ' were these old men while meditating 
upon a tumulus in a howling wilderness. In vain we 
puzzle our brain as to the cause of these structures, 
and ask are they erected for mausoleums, watch 
towers, or temples'? Those which have been opened 
contain human remains, ancient pottery, instruments 
of war, and are evidently places of sepulchre. Some 
of them contain rude earthen vases which had been 
filled with food for the use of the deceased. In 
vases discovered in an Indian sepulchre , near Steu- 
benville, upon the Mingo Bottom, were bones of tur- 
kies, oppossums, &c., which had been placed there, 
that their friends might not want food upon their jour- 
ney to the land of spirits. Stone pipes are also found, 
cut out of their sacred red clay of St. Peters, or stea- 
tite greenstone and limestone, some bearing resem- 
blances to eagle's or other bird's heads. Arrow heads 
of flint or quartz, are also found with the former arti- 
cle, with idols, silver and copper rings, and rosaries. 
You have heard, I suppose, of the circle of mounds 
around which is built the town of Circleville, upon 
the Scioto river, of Ohio. Here was an ancient city, 
enclosed by a double wall of earth, with a ditch be- 
tween the walls. The walls and ditch occupy nearly 
seventy feet, which gives thirty feet as the base of 
each wall, and ten for the width of the ditch. This 
circular town, or it may be fortification, was three 
hundred and fifty yards across. A square fort is near 

this, the walls of which were twenty feet wide, without 

17 



194 A SUMBIER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

any ditch. The fort is three hundred yards across, 
and is an exact square. The present town is laid out 
on these ancient and venerable works; the court 
house, built in the form of an octagon, stands in the 
centre of the circular fort, and occupies the spot once 
covered by a large and beautiful mound, but which 
was levelled to make room for the building. This 
forms the nucleus, around which runs a circular street, 
with a spacious common between the court house and 
street ; on this street the principal taverns and stores 
are erected, and most of the business done. Four 
other streets run out of the circle, like radii from a 
centre. On the south side of this circle stands a 
conical hill, crowned with an artificial mound ; a street 
has lately been opened across the mound, and in re- 
moving the earth, many skeletons were found in good 
preservation. A cranium of one of them was in my 
possession, and is a noble specimen of the race which 
once occupied these ancient walls. It has a high 
forehead, large and bold features, with all the phreno- 
logical marks of daring and bravery. Poor fellow, 
he died overwhelmed by numbers, as the fracture 
of the right parietal bone by a battle-axe, and five 
large stone arrows sticking in and about his bones 
still bear testimony.'* 

We must regret the destruction of these mounds, 
but in consideration of those which are allowed to 
remain undisturbed,, and of the taste and fancy dis- 
played by the citizens of Circleville, in laying out 
their town among them, we may forgive them. There 
is an ancient fortification near the junction of the 

* Am. Jour, of Scien. vol, 25, 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST, 195 

river Wisconsin with the Mississippi, in the angles of 
which mounds are erected. Upon the plantation of 
Walter Irvin, Esq., about ten miles from Natchez, and 
seven from the Mississippi, is another very singular 
group of fortifications and tumuli. If you desire my 
opinion, I should decidedly say they were erected 
over the slain in battle. Sometimes they contain but 
one body, perhaps of some great chieftain, whom the 
enemy's archers have stricken j others are erected 
over several bodies, laid in layers, who, as fast as they 
have fallen, have been laid upon the mound, the earth 
placed over them, to receive another layer, until 
the tumulus is finished. Where they are grouped to- 
gether, and where fortifications remain, the spot may 
have been the field of some great battle, whose slaugh- 
tered ranks required many mounds to cover them. 
We know it was the custom of eastern nations to erect 
mounds over the dead. The army of Alexander 
erected over the body of Demeratus a monument of 
earth eight cubits high and of vast circumference. 
Semiramis raised a mound to the memory of Ninus. 
We read of their erection by the Babylonians in their 
trenches, during seiges. Who were the people 
that erected these tumuli is wrapped in mystery which 
I shall not endeavor to penetrate, but refer you to 
Delafield's Antiquities of America, who seems to have 
discovered much in the Mexican records, which 
throws light upon the subject. It is his opinion they 
were Sycthians who crossed to this country over 
Behring's Straits, and these people were once the 
builders of the tower of Babel, and dwelt upon the 
plains of Shinar, When dispersed by the confusion 
of tongues, a portion of them wandered through Tar- 



196 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

tary to the ocean, and there crossed, and gradually 
passed down the North American continent, to 
Mexico and Peru. He deduces his evidence from, 
1st. Philology — as three-fifths of the American dialects 
resemble the language of northern Asia, two-fifths the 
Coptics, and others the Sycthian ; which last he tra- 
ces in the tribes of South American, and the others 
to the North American savages : 2nd, Anatomy, which 
proves ' there is much resemblance between the cra- 
nium of the race of the mounds and ancient Peru, 
with those of the modern Hindoos j' mythology and 
hieroglyphics, architecture, manners and customs. 
The pyramids of Mexico, Peru, our country and the 
Sycthian nations, are the same, with little variation ; 
some of earth, and others of stone. Mr. Delafield 
gives a plan of a building used as a receptacle of the 
remains of the princess Tzapotee in Mexico, which 
much resembles some of the ruins in Ohio. This is 
called Mignitlan, the place of desolation. In the article 
upon manners and customs, he relates the discovery 
of some shells of the pyrula perversa in a tumulus, 
which are used in Asia at religious ceremonies, and 
only found upon the coasts of Hindostan. He traces 
these nations from the plains of Shinar to Tartary, 
where are numerous mounds, some in groups as they 
are found here, all containing bodies, with idols and 
implements of war, provisions, &c. In his interesting 
book, he exhibits the celebrated Aztec map, upon 
which by hieroglyphical figures their course is traced 
from Behrino^'s Straits to Mexico and Peru. Among; 
other figures we see there a boat, rowed by a man, 
meaning crossing the water ; a large tree, indicating 
their arrival from the icy regions to a fertile land ; a 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 197 

rushing river, telling of the Mississippi ; and lastly, 

a Mexican plant, denotes their arrival in that land. 

Surrounding, and between these figures, are hiero 

glyphics signifying battles, towns built, sacrifices, 

councils, feasts, &c., and the number of years that 

the tribe remained in one 'place. He has sustained 

his hypothesis very ably, and yet we may say, with 

Schoolcraft, this is a race ' whose origin, whose his^ 

tory and whose annihilation live only in conjecture.' 

It is to be hoped the citizens of St. Louis are aware 

of the treasures enclosed within the city and will take 

measures for their preservation — the place would be 

capable of much ornament as a public garden. As 

our country becomes settled these interesting reliques 

will be destroyed if care be not taken to prevent it. 

Their number may give us an idea of the myriads 

who once roved over these plains, and we may say, 

while passing through the regions of the west, we are 

travelling over a * buried world.' Beside these races, 

the Spanisli, French, English, and Americans have 

lived and died here. 

The «ity of St Louis which is now so filled with 

Americans that it is rapidly assu ning an American 

appearance, was once inhabited by French alone. 

The founder M. Auguste Choteau was alive when La 

Fayette visited here, but very aged. When young, 

enterprising, and ardent, he led the expedition which 

in seventeen hundred and sixty four ascended the 

river to found a city. He selected the site and with 

his own axe struck down the first tree ; houses soon 

arose, and the limestone rocks around, as if by magic, 

were transformed into ware houses. As the French 

influence in the country was lost, the town stood stili 

17* 



198 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

until the American emigrants flowed in, and since 
then it has rapidly arisen to its present flourishing 
state, doing a business of six millions of dollars annu- 
ally. St Louis is the capitol of the far west, and 
must continue to increase. It is the central point of 
the great valley of the Mississippi which extends two 
thousand five hundred miles in width from the Alle- 
ghany or Apalachian mountains to the Chipewayan ; 
and three thousand miles in length. It is seated upon 
a noble river, by which it is only three days voyage to 
the Mexican gulf,— only eighteen miles from the 
mouth of the grand Missouri, thirty six from the great 
artery of Illinois and two hundred from the Ohio, 
through whose waters it has access to every portion 
of the States. Behind it is a noble region of land 
watered by magnificent rivers, abounding in metals, 
coal and stone quarries, covered by a rich soil, and 
blessed with a mild climate. 

July lUh. — The morning being fine we were 
advised to take some of the fashionable drives, and 
accordingly sat out for the Prairie House. The citi- 
zens could not choose a pleasanter place to enjoy 
fresh air and verdure. As we left the city, we passed 
several handsome country seats, and then found our- 
selves in the prairie, which is of the species of land 
called * barren,' covered with dwarf oak, crab apple, 
hazel bushes and prairie plums. The road wound 
through copses, and tufts of shrubery for three miles 
when we arrived at the Prairie House, which is a 
pretty building, surrounded by shade trees and gar- 
dens. After cooling ourselves with ice creams, we 
re-entered the carriage and drove three miles further 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 199 

to the Sulpher Springs. Leaving the coach at the 
door of a large house, we descended a deep dell, 
shaded by weepmg elms, immense oaks, and beeches, 
among which ran a brook ' that to the sleepy woods 
all night singeth a quiet tune.' The water was bright 
and sparkling, but very nauseous, and tasted to m.y 
companion like the Harrowgate waters. The walks 
around this stream are very pleasant, and must be 
quite refreshing to the tired and heated citizen. 
There is much company here during the summer. 
We took another road home, and passed through a fine 
prairie the commencment of the celebrated Florisante 
prairie which stretches from St Louis to the Missouri. 
Although trees were grouped upon the plains, we 
passed several spots, 

" All paved with daisies and delicate bells, 
As fair as the fabulous Asphodels." 

In returning we passed a load of fine looking coal, 
which, we were told, came from Manchester, a small 
town a few miles distant. 

At two o'clock we went on board the steamboat 
Monsoon, in which we were to go to Cincinnati. 
Every minute we expected to go, but hour after hour 
passed away and still we did not move. To our ques- 
tions the captain gave several reasons for the delay 
which seemed very vexatious to him. We endured 
the day, as hot as it was, by amusing ourselves with 
reading, writing, looking at the opposite shores, which 
we should have visited by means of the steam ferry 
boats which were crossing continually to Illinois 
town, had we not imagined we were soon to depart — 
and in watching the busy crowds upon the wharf, 
among whom was an old negro before an auction 



200 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

Store attracting custoraers by ringing a bell instead of 
using a red flag as with us— but when night camcj 
and we were obliged to pass it in our hot narrow 
berths, among mosquetoes which no net would keep 
off — listening to the noise and profane converse of 
the crew of the boats around^ and imbibing the per^- 
fume of a dock, we became very much vexed and 
very impatient to be on our way, 

July 15th. It was ten o'clock this morning before 
we started, and then discovered it was the arrival of 
a large party of St Louis fashionables which had kept 
us stationary, and who, instead of coming as exr 
pected, chose to remain to attend a party that night. 

We, who had been used to the punctuality of our 
eastern cities, where the captain stands, watch in 
hand, to give the signal for moving at the appoint- 
ed moment, were extremely annoyed at such pro* 
ceedings ; but before we grumble too much it may be 
as well to look upon the other side of the question. 
The steamers upon these rivers make long voyages, 
and require much freight, and passengers, to pay their 
expenses. 

From St. Louis to Cincinnati is eight-hundred miles, 
for which we were to pay twelve dollars each, and 
finding only a few passengers engaged, the captain 
waited for this party, hoping in the meanwhile, some 
of the upper steam-boats would arrive, and bring him 
some more freight, or passengers. The only thjng 
we could reasonably complain of was his bad faith, if 
he had openly told us, the state of the case, we 
should have quietly remained in our hotel- awaiting 
his summons; instead of placing the delay to the 
broken machinery, some hands missing, provisions 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 201 

not arrived, &c., off at last amids the shouted adieu 
from the motley crew of Negro, French, Spaniard, 
and Yankee, which lined the guards of the long 
range of steam-boats, lying along the front of the 
city. There are one hundred and sixty steam-boats 
plying between this city and other ports. The 
city and its spires now fades away ; and we station 
ourselves, in a favorable position for beholding this 
famous country. The Illinois shore is low, covered 
with forest, and is the rich part of the State, which 
was called by the Spaniards, American bottom, bottom 
land being the alluvion which is found upon the river 
shores between the water and the bluffs, and which is 
usually overflowed at high water. A feature peculiar 
to tlie county is, the land nearest the river is highest 
owing to the constant deposit, and when the water 
retires lakes are left along the low land, which gradu- 
ally dry away. This bottom extends from the Kas- 
kaskiah river to the mouth of the Missouri, two miles 
from Alton, eighty miles — and from one half to two 
miles in lengfth to the bluffs which bound it, containinsf 
two hundred and eighty-eight thousand square acres. 
The soil is of inexhaustible fertility, averaging from 
twenty to twenty-five feet. Coal is abundant in this 
alluvion, and in the bluffs. This is carried to St. 
Louis in great quantities, over the railroad, to Illinois 
town. The Missouri side rises into high limestone 
bluffs, upon which is built near the city, Jefferson bar- 
racks, a fine quadrangular building, containing fifteen 
hundred United States troops, and a few miles farther 
Herculaneum, having at the edge of the cliff a high 
shot tower. Near this tower is a bowlder of vermi- 
culae limestone fifty feet by three hundred. Through 



202 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

a cleft in the rocks comes rushing down the clear 
bright Maramec. It takes rise among hills covered 
with pine trees, so valuable in this region. Its banks 
are rich with lead, iron and salt, and has formerly- 
been a favorite haunt of the Indian tribes from the 
quantity of pottery, bones, and arrow heads found 
there. Behind these cliffs commences tlu celebrated 
lead region, where such quantities are exported. The 
mineral region of Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin, are 
stated by Dr. Owen, the State geologists, to be capa- 
ble of producing more of this article than the whole 
of Europe. Missouri sends some to China, and has 
exported this year, to that country, five hundred pigs 
of lead, to be used for lining tea chests. The rocks 
appear broken up in odd fantastic shapes, taking the 
name of devil's tea table, backbone oven, grand tower, 
etc. This last in a tall solitary rock, about one hun- 
dred feet high, covered by a tuft of cedars, its strati- 
fication as distinct as if it was a stone tower. The 
cornice rocks are a ledge wdiich runs along the top of 
the bluffs for nearly ten miles. These rocks are said 
by geologists, to have been once the barrier of a large 
lake or inland sea, over them poured another niagara, 
which, wearing through them, caused their jagged ap- 
pearance. When it burst through, it carried with it 
and deposited that enormous mass of alluvion Avhich 
extends an hundred miles into the gulf of Mexico. 
The rock along this shore is mostly a blue compact 
limestone, thought by Schoolcraft to be the muscle 
kalck of the Germans^ sometimes it occurs foetid. 
Near the city of St. Louis, in this limestone, were 
found the impressions of two human feet, as if the 
person had stood upon it while soft. The impres- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 203 

sions were perfect, and were not sculptured in the 
rock. This slab was cut out and taken to New Har- 
mony, upon the Wabash. 

The scenery I am attempting to describe is very 
beautiful and varied. The broad river, about a mile 
wide carries us rapidly along from promontory to point, 
crowned by a village, ever showing us new beauties. 
The high wall at our right hand is not a mere line of 
rocks, but supports the land which commences from 
their summits, as if the river once flowing at that 
height had gradually worn its way down. This, how- 
ever is not the case, the deep bed having been scooped 
out by diluvial torrents. An amateur of geology at 
Alton, has another theory, and attributes the location 
and course of their rivers to fissures in the coal meas- 
ures. One side of the fractured strata is raised and 
the other depressed, so that perpendicular rocks do 
not appear upon both sides of the rivers. Whether this 
be the cause of their direction I know not j but that 
the cliffs occur upon but one side of the stream, I 
observed upon the Illinois and Mississippi. St. Gene- 
vieve, which we passed this afternoon, is one of those 
old French towns, which were built during the sway 
of France over these fertile regions. We stopped at 
the landing where are a few houses, while the village 
is a short distance up the Gabouri creek, upon which 
it is built. We could see the steep slate roofed 
French houses, neatly white-washed 5 the court house 
and catholic church, whose cross glittered in the 
afternoon sun. Beside the river is a fertile portion 
of land which was allowed to the town by the Span- 
iards as common land upon which was raised the pro- 
duce for town consumption. The town once stood 



204 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

here beside the Mississippi, but as the bank began to 
crumble away they removed farther inland. About 
thirty miles in the interior are the celebrated iron 
mountains, formed of micaceous iron ore. The pilot 
knob is three hundred and one feet high, with a base 
of a mile in circumference. The iron occurs here in 
masses of several tons weight. The other hill is three 
hundred and fifty feet high, both ores yielding eighty 
per cent. Near the town is a quarry of fine white 
marble, and a deposite of dazzling Avhite sand which 
is sent to Pittsburgh and sold to the glass factories. 
This is one of the ports from which the iron and lead 
is shipped. 

Kaskaskia is another French town nearly opposite 
this place, but being built four miles up the Kaskaskia 
river, we could only see its landing. It was settled by 
La Salle in 1683, and was supported by the Indian fur 
trade, and afterwards by flour, exporting in 1746, eight 
hundred weight to New Orleans. There is here a 
catholic nunnery. The Kaskaskia river is a fine 
stream which runs into the Mississippi, a short dis- 
tance above St. Genevieve upon the Illinois shore. It 
is four hundred miles long, but navigable not quite a 
hundred, owing to obstructions which could, with 
small expense, be cleared away. Some of the best 
land in the State is upon its banks. 

Chester is a small town a few miles beyond it, 
seated at the foot of a high range of cliffs. Although 
small in appearance it carries on a brisk trade, its 
exports by steamboat being, in 1836, one hundred and 
fifty thousand dollars. Among other manufactories is 
one for making castor oil. Near this is fort Chartres, 
built by the French in 1720, to defend themselves 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 205 

against the Spaniards. It was a line specimen of the 
style of Vaubon, and built in the most solid manner, 
but now lies in ruins, having large trees growing upon 
its prostrate walls. 

At the mouth of Big Muddy river, forty miles below 
Kaskaskia, we stopped to take in wood, and we went 
on shore to take an evening stroll. The French 
named this stream riviere au vase^ from a vase of 
earthen ware discovered upon its banks. There is 
much good coal upon its shores. We wandered 
through the ' the forest's leafy labyrinth,' wondering 
at the great size, and luxuriant foliage of the trees. 
The locust here grows to the height of eighty or 
ninety feet; the beeches, oaks, and sycamores, are 
enormous. The parsimon grows larger here than 
with us. We also observed the Chickasaw plum, the 
pawpaw, and cotton tree. We seated ourselves upon 
the bank of the river, and looked upon it with wonder 
as it came rushing wildly past, much like a stream 
which has just plunged over some high ledge of rocks. 
Upon its bosom it bears a forest of trees, some old 
and water-worn, shorn of their honors, and some torn 
away in all the glory and beauty of their youth. The 
water comes with such velocity that it tears away the 
earth from one side of the river carrying it to the 
other, thus constantly changing the shape of the 
shores, and varies its channel so that the navigator 
is often puzzled to find his course. 

I am glad I have looked upon the Mississippi. To 

read of it and to see it are two different things. All 

these wondrous works of the Creator give us clearer 

ideas of his power and his goodness. It is indeed an 

extraordinary sight — a river over three thousand miles 

18 



206 A SUMMER JOURiSEY IN THE WEST. 

long, and from a mile to one and a half miles wide, 
traversing eighteen degrees of latitude through va- 
rious climates, from the arctic to the equator, over 
' more degrees of latitude than any other river in the 
world.' Some writers call this river the Miss Sipi, 
'father of waters,' while others tell us its name is 
NamsBsi Sipu, Tish river. It flows from Itasca lake, 
a transparent cool reservoir of water, fifteen hundred 
feet above the gulf of Mexico, a clear beautiful 
stream; plunges over the falls of St. Anthony, and 
then, a broad river one mile and a half wide, it sweeps 
in long regular bends through a wide valley adorned 
with varied scenery, until it enters the gulf of Mex- 
ico. Sometimes it is lined with bluffs from one hun- 
dred to four hundred feet high, or a soft green prairie, 
sloping banks, impenetrable marshes, large cities, and 
pretty villages. The clay which the Missouri brings 
with it is heaped upon the shores, or in a pile at the 
bottom of the river, upon which a snag, a long trunk 
of a tree is flung, which, standing upright, pierces the 
bottoms of vessels; or as a sawyer, rises and falls, to 
strike the unfortunate bark which happens to pass 
over it. The danger from these is, however, much 
diminished by the ingenuity of Captain Henry M. 
Shreve, who has contrived a machine worked by 
steam, by means of which, when the water is low, he 
raises the snags and sawyers from the river. We 
were told he this year extracted fifteen hundred, 
besides tearing away from the banks many thousands 
which were 'topling to a fall.' It seems a hopeless 
task to pull away the hanging trees from the wooded 
shores of a river three thousand one hundred and 
sixty miles long, whose banks are constantly under- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 207 

mined by the waters; besides the Ohio which runs 
twelve hundred miles; and when these are cleared 
the mad Missouri coming down over three thousand 
miles through a forest clad country, continually sends 
down fresh victims which it has wrenched from their 
homes, to consign in all the ' pride of life ' to destruc- 
tion. As if not content with the mischief, the Missis- 
sippi sometimes takes a fancy to make a cut off', instead 
of following the curve or bend which it has made into 
the country for perhaps twenty mil^s, it dashes with 
fury against the earth in front until it cuts its way 
through and reaches its former channel, tearing away 
with it houses, lands, and whatever had stood in its 
path. This malicious conduct the Indians impute to 
its enmity to the white man, and fills up its channel, 
plants snags and sawyers to vex and to wreck him. 
The earthquake in the year 1811, the year in which 
Fulton launched the first boat upon the western 
waters, they say was caused by their Manitou, to 
frighten the white man away from his country. The 
earthquake was felt in many places slightly, but at 
New Madrid, upon the Mississippi, it was very severe. 
Houses and chimneys were thrown down ; land raised 
for some distance down the river, and in many places 
it cracked apart vomiting up fire and red hot sand. 
Lakes were formed of miles in length which still 
remain. The introduction of steam is fast conquering 
all obstacles. Before its introduction three or four 
months were employed in voyages where now it is 
done in so many weeks. The flat-boat floated upon 
the tide, or pushed along with poles ; and when a 
point was to be cleared the crew landed, and fastening 
ropes to the trees drew their bark along; this process 



208 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

was called cordelling. There are now upon these 
waters four hundred and thirty-seven steamboats, 
from thirty to seven hundred and eighty-five tons, be- 
sides flat and keel boats, but no sloops or sail boats, 
except an occasional sail put up by the keel boats. 
These boats are very different from those used upon 
our eastern waters. Our cabins and saloon you know 
are upon the same deck with the machinery, and 
dining rooms below, while above is a fine long prome- 
nade deck. When you enter one of these boats you 
step upon the lowest deck, having the machinery in 
the centre, while the ends are covered with freight, 
or deck passengers who cannot pay the cabin fare. 
Ascending a stair-way you find yourself upon the 
guards, a walk extending all around the boat like a 
narrow piazza, from which several doors open into 
the rooms. The whole deck here is thrown into three 
apartments \ the ladies cabin at the stern having state- 
rooms around it, opening upon the deck or into the 
cabin ; from this folding doors lead into the dining- 
room surrounded with gentlemen's berths ; beyond is 
the bar-room, from which you pass into an open space 
where, around two smoke pipes, the male passengers 
assemble to smoke and chat. The ladies cabin is 
handsomely furnished with every convenience, and in 
some instances with a piano. Above this is yet 
another deck called the hurricane deck. This is the 
best situation for viewing the scenery, Avere it not for 
the steam-pipe which, as these are high pressure 
boats, sends out the steam with a loud burst, like a 
person short of breath. 

July IQth. — I arose with the dawn, to obtain a peep 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 209 

at the junction of the Ohio with the Mississippi. We 
turned from the wide Mississippi and its turbid waters, 
into the glassy Ohio, around a point of land upon 
which is built the town of Cairo. The land is low 
here, and subject to inundations, but it is expected 
the art of man will overcome this, and Cairo, at the 
junction of these two great rivers, will become a large 
city. The central railroad is to commence here, 
which will cross Illinois to Galena, from thence to the 
Mississippi river, a distance of four hundred and fifty- 
seven and a half miles. There are several other towns 
upon, and near this point, as America, Unity, Trinity, 
and Fulton,where a statue to the great steamboat pro- 
jector will be erected. A little farther on is another 
village, called Caledonia. 

Our passengers consist of a party of fashionables, on 
a jaunt of pleasure to the Sulphur Springs, of Virginia; 
some travelling merchants, and several persons visiting 
the towns upon the river. A state room was observed 
to be constantly closed, and a young man about twenty, 
who occasionally came from it, squeezed himself in, 
as if afraid his companion would be seen from with- 
out. The curiosity of the young ladies was soon 
excited, and by means of the chambermaid they ascer- 
tained it was the young man's wife, a young girl, appa- 
rently about fourteen, who was thus carefully secluded. 
A run-away match was immediately whispered about ; 
the young people became quite in a fever to obtain a 
glimpse of the fair heorine. It was a long time ere 
their wish was gratified, as she never left her room, 
taking even her meals there. Our mornings onboard 
are generally very social, the ladies sitting with the 

gentlemen of their party upon the guards, or gath- 

18* 



210 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

ering in groups with their work, while the male pas- 
sengers are smoking, talking politics, or gambling. 
The negro banjo, and merry laugh, or joke, of some 
son of Erin, echoes up from the lower deck ; but in 
the afternoon the siesta is the fashion, and every one 
turns in his berth t o take a nap. I did not follow this 
custom, as I was unwilling to lose any of the scenery, 
so that I usually stole out of my state room, like a 
mouse from its hole, and after a long look up and 
down the river, stole in again, the heat being too great 
to allow of a long stay. Yesterday afternoon, op- 
pressed with thirst and with heat, for the thermometer 
on board stood at ninety-six, I went into the ladies' 
cabin in search of water, a jar of which filled with 
lumps of ice, was placed upon a marble table in one 
corner of the cabin. The ladies were all in their 
berths except two, who were using every * means and 
appliance,' to keep themselves cool. They were each 
in a rocking chair kept in motion, their feet upon an 
ottoman, made a table for their books, while a large 
feather fan in one hand, and a lump of ice in another, 
were tolerable arms against the fire king. Miss Mar- 
tineau expatiates upon the indifference of our females 
to the scenery of nature, and I dare say, she would 
place these two upon her list of nil admirari ladies, 
but travellers are very apt to look upon the surface 
of things ', these ladies, and indeed almost all we 
meet in steamboats, have been so often over the 
scene, that they know it by heart, and need not brave 
heat and storms to see it, as a stranger would. Our 
people are a restless body, and men, women and chil- 
dren are always upon the move. As thirsty as I was, 
1 hesitated to drink the thick muddy water, for while 



A SUBIMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 211 

standing in our tumblers, a sediment is precipitated of 
half aninch. Oh how I longed for a draught of cool 
spring water, or a lump of Rockland lake ice ! While 
drinking, one of the ladies advanced for the same pur- 
pose, ' Dear me ! what insipid water !' she said, ' it 
has been standing too long. I like it right thick.' I 
looked at her in surprise. ' Do you prefer it muddy, 
to clear V I asked. ' Certainly I do,' she replied, ' I 
like the sweet clayey taste, and when it settles it is 
insipid. Here Juno !' calling to the black chanir 
bermaid who was busy ironing, get me some water 
fresh out of the river, with the true Mississippi 
relish.' Every one's back is indeed fitted to his bur-: 
den. This person had lived upon the banks of the 
Mississippi, had drank its waters all her days, and 
now it required to be muddy ere it was palateable, 
The chambermaid descended to the lower deck, where 
a gallant black beau drew a bucket from the river, and 
after satisfying the lady, she resumed her ironing. 
Against this practice of ironing in the ladies cabin I 
must uplift my voice. I suffered from this annoyance 
upon the Illinois, Mississippi and Ohio. Constantly 
there was a woman washing upon the lower deck, 
where the water thro\^ii from the wheel, falls upon 
the deck in a pretty cascade, and another is ironing 
above. All the ironing of the boat, and crew, and often 
of the passengers, is done in the ladies small sitting 
room, the steam and perfume of the wet clothes, char- 
coal furnace and of the ironer is extremely disagree- 
able. In one instance I knew this to be the case all 
night, the girls taking it by turns ; and I never travelled 
one day without this addition to the heat and other 
discomforts of a steamboat. In such long voyages it 



212 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

may be necessary to wash for the captain and crew, 
but surely bed and table linen enough might be provi- 
ded to reach Cincinnati, where they stop long enough 
to have them washed. If not, why may there not be 
a room in some other part of the deck. The captain 
in some instances reaps the profits, as the chamber- 
maids are his by hire or purchase, and if they charge 
all as they did us, one dollar and fifty cents a dozen, 
the profit must be considerable. It is sometimes, as 
in our case, a great convenience to travellers, but 
another place should be provided. But to go on with 
my afternoon adventures. I left the cabin and walked 
out upon the shady side of the guards. All was still 
except the booming steampipe ; every one was asleep 
or reading. I leaned over the railing and found the 
banjo player and his audience all in slumbering atti- 
tudes, or swinging in their hammocks, and every 
thing denoted silence and repose. Suddenly a terrific 
and astounding bang, clang and clatter, as if the boat 
had been cracked to atoms, the wheel house was bro- 
ken in pieces, the boards flew over me, and a torrent 
of water flowing from it nearly washed me from the 
deck. In a moment every one tumbled out and 
rushed upon the deck exclaiming, 'what's the matter V 
' are we snagged ' — ' has the boiler burst ' — ' is it a saw- 
yer.' The old Kentucky lady who had stepped out 
first, took her pipe from her mouth and said quietly, 
' It's only a log j' ' Oh, only a log ;' ' nothing but a log,' 
echoed from every mouth, and returning to their cabins 
they all stepped into their berths again. I lo(j>ked 
around me in amazement. ' Only a log ! ' said 1 to my- 
self and what is a log. The steamboat is broken and 
stops, all is confusion and crash, and I am told it is noth- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 213 

ing but a log. ' Madam/ said I, turning to the Kentucky 
woman, 'will you have the goodness to tell me what a 
log is.' ' There they are,' she said, pointing with her 
pipe to the river. Floating along like so many alliga- 
tors, were long branchless trunks, which had been 
wafted along thousands of miles from the Rocky 
Mountains perhaps. ' But, pardon me madam, how 
are these logs able to create such a disturbance V 
' You seem a stranger child,' she replied ; ' as these 
are floating along, and we are riding among them, 
what more natural than that they should get in the 
water wheel, break it, and stop the boat. But see, 
the carpenters are already at work, and I dare say 
they will have it repaired in the course of two or 
three hours.' So saying she knocked the ashes out 
of her pipe, took off her cap, and passed into her 
state room, to sleep away the hours we were doomed 
to pass under a July southern sun inactive. The 
most remarkable event connected with this accident, 
was the discovery of the fair unknown of the closed 
state-room. When the noise was first heard, the 
young man rushed out, bearing a plump rosy young 
girl in his arms who, as soon as he put her down, 
began to tell the beads of a long rosary which hung 
from her neck. One glance sufficed to tell him the 
nature of the accident, and he left her to walk 
towards the wheel house just as the Kentucky lady 
disappeared. Seeing the poor thing's agitation, I 
turned towards her and endeavored to sooth her. 
' I thank the Virgin Mary it is no worse,' she said 
kissing her cross, 'but something dreadful will come 
to punish my wickedness. Oh how could I leave my 
dear mother Abbess and the sisters ! ' Stopping sud- 



214 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

clenly she gazed around her in affright, for she had 
unconsciously said more than she intended. ' Oh 
dear, what am I saying ! ' she exclaimed ' where is 
Edward, why did he leave me ! ' I soon succeeded 
in soothing her, and when I related my conversation 
with the old woman, she laughed merrily at my igno- 
rance. Her young husband returned, and was so 
delighted to see her cheerful, that he immediately 
drew chairs, we all sat down and were soon as social 
as old friends. I was much amused with the surprise 
of my companion who had come in search of me, when 
he saw me upon such familiar terms with this myste- 
rious couple. The little creature seemed delighted to 
escape from her confined quarters, and relished a little 
chat so much that she this morning came to my room, 
and sat some time with me. We passed this morning 
several islands, one of them containing ten thousand 
acres, which, with the rocky shores of Illinois, make 
the scenery very pleasing. Paducah, upon the Ken- 
tucky side at the mouth of the Tennessee, is a small 
town seemingly solidly built of brick, but chiefly 
interesting from the romantic story attached to it. It 
takes its name from an Indian heroine, who was here 
sacrificed in revenge by a party of Pawnees. Fort 
Massac is a few miles below it which was taken from 
the French by an Indian stratagem. The Indians 
dressed in bear skins, made their appearance in the 
vicinity of the fort, which enticed the Frenchmen out 
for a chase, when another band rushed into the fort 
and took it. All were massacred. From thence to 
the mouth of the Cumberland river the shores seem 
uncultivated, as the settlements are back from the 
river, but we were compensated by a glorious show of 



A SUMMER J0UR2^EY IN THE WEST. 215 

trees vines and foliage of every hue. The sycamore 
here grows to enormous height, sixty or seventy feet, 
full of branches; these great branches stretph up eighty 
feet higher and spread out all around it. The w^hite 
of its trunk and limbs has a very pretty efiect among 
the green forests. The white maple is also a beautiful 
ornament to the groves, its leaves being a bright green, 
but every breeze stirring among them displays the 
brilliant white lining. Its trunk is silvery hue. 

Upon the Kentucky side of the river we have the 
pretty yellow locust, the hackberry with its dark foli- 
age, the mulberry, juneberry, with its red fruit, and 
leaves lined with silvery down, and above all the tall 
and graceful cotton wood tree, popular angulati, whose 
bright green foliage is very beautiful in contrast. 
The groves of this tree are very ornamental to a 
landscape. Among these trees upon both shores, we 
observed the brilliant bignonia radicans or Virginia 
creeper, which mounted to the tops of the highest 
trees, and swinging down, arranged itself in graceful 
festoons, adorned with its pretty scarlet, trumpet 
shaped flowers. The river is more placid than our 
last, but is not yet free from the defilement of the 
Mississippi, and takes a yellowish tinge. Golconda 
we passed about twelve o'clock, upon the Illinois side, 
a small town, remarkable for nothing but its fiery red 
brick court house, with a cupola. There is a small 
settlement at the mouth of the Cumberland river, be- 
fore which was a row of steamboats, which were in 
waiting for the rise of the river, to ascend to Nash- 
ville, in Kentucky, which lies upon this river. Illinois, 
as if wishing to leave a good impression upon us at 
parting, rises in masses of limestone, presenting every 



216 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

variety of scene, overhanging cliffs, promontory, 
walls, and castellated appearances, being the foundation 
of the State, for at the summit the ground continues 
in a plain to the lakes. Sometimes our course lay so 
near these rocks, that we could distinguish the flowers 
spring from the crevices, and the chrystal rills which 
jumped from rock to rock. This destroyed the illu- 
sion of towers and turrets, but we were compensated 
by being able to examine the limestone which pre- 
sented various shades from the yellow clay marl to 
the compact and blue limestone and light solite. A 
large cave runs under these rocks, the mouth of which 
is surrouned by a grove of graceful cypresses, which 
tree we have observed occasionally upon the shore, 
before and after this. The mouth of the cave is an 
arch about thirty feet high. This cave has in the 
time of the flat boats been a sort of tavern, where the 
crew and passengers have waited sometimes for days, 
in a storm. It was once also a robbers' haunt. 
Many persons, anxious to descend to posterity, 
have cut their names upon the rock, and taken from 
the wildness and seclusion of the scene by large 
black letters, but I shall not minister to their ambition 
by writing their names. Shawnee town, is a place of 
considerable importance in the southern part of Illi- 
nois. It stands upon a plain, elevated from the river, 
with a back ground of bluffs, and seems a considerable 
place. The situation is most beautiful, and it makes 
a pretty picture from the r iver. A band of Indians of 
the Shawnee tribe once lived upon this spot, but at 
the approach of the white men retired to the western 
plains beyond the Mississippi. At Shawnee town, 
commences the great saliferous formation which ex- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 217 

tends through the valley of the Ohio, to its head wa- 
ters, and spreads away upon each side through Ohio 
and Kentucky, and along the Alleghany mountains. 
The strata of this formation consists of sandstone, 
limestone, coal, argillaceous rocks, and slate stones, 
but the peculiar rock from which the salt water is 
drawn, is a white calcareous sand rock full of 
cells and vacant places, once containing salt. There 
is also an upper layer of white sand rock, from which 
a small quantity is produced.* To procure this, the 
boring is sometimes carried very deep, several hun- 
dred feet, as the strata generally lie below tide water, 
in this valley, and some wells are sunk three hundred 
feet below the present surface of the ocean. Where 
they strike the flint rock strata it is very tedious, the 
workmen not being able to bore more than two or 
three inches in twenty -four hours. Carburetted Hy- 
drogen gas rises in almost every place where the salt 
is found, and wells are often sunk from this evidence 
alone. Sometimes the gas comes up with such vio- 
lence as to drive out the boring machine, or flows 
with the water, and again, rushes up in sudden explo- 
sions, at intervals of hours or days, springing up in 
the air to a height of a hundred feet. This gas easily 
takes fire. Petroleom, is also found accompanying 
the salt, and is used by the inhabitants for bruises, or 
to oil machinery. Filtered through charcoal, it is 
burned in lamps. In the country upon the Muskingum 
river are several deposites of salt rock, or Muriatife 
rous rock. In Hockhocking valley, salt is reached by 
boring to the depth of five hundred and fifty feet, and 

* Dr. Hildreth. 

19 



218 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

at another place eight hundred feet. Here the water 
is very pure and strong, averaging fifteen per cent of 
muriate of soda, and runs in a constant stream of 
twelve thousand gallons in twenty-four hours. Salt is 
also found in the Monongahela valley. Upon the 
Kiskiminitas river, five hundred thousand bushels are 
exported annually ; it is found upon the Guyandot, 
and in the northeastern parts of Kentucky, but the 
most extensive salines are upon the Kenawa river 
where the strata occupy an extent of twelve or four- 
teen miles upon the river. Fifty gallons of water, 
yield fifty pounds of salt of fine quality. In some 
places coarse salt, and in others fine table salt is made. 
This necessary article was first discovered by the 
animals who seem to be very fond of it. The masto- 
don, elk, buffalo, and other animals were in the habit 
of resorting for it to certain places which retain the 
name of Lick, as Buffalo Lick, Big Bone Lick, etc- 
At the lick upon the Kenawha, the paths worn by these 
animals are still visible. For many years salt was 
brought to the western valley with great labor over 
the Alleghany mountains, upon the backs of horses, 
and sold for two or three dollars a pound. Now it 
can be procured at the salines for half a cent. Around 
the salines are fragments of broken pottery and other 
Indian articles, showing the aborigines were in the 
habit of digging for it. Upon Salt creek, near Shaw- 
neetown, is a very ancient salt work, which was once 
resorted to by the Indians. Vessels of earthen-ware 
bearing the impression of a basket are found there, 
and one which was evidently used for evaporation is 
large enough to contain sixteen gallons. This great 
deposite of salt seems to be inexhaustible ; for twenty 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 219 

four years it has been manufactured at Kenawha, and 
in these last years one million of bushels a year, and 
the supply has not diminished. Two hundred bushels 
are made a day. The process used is to convert the 
water by heat to brine, and afterwards evaporized. 

Ten miles below Shawneetown we pass the mouth 
of the Wabash, the boundary line between Illinois and 
Indiana, a beautiful stream running six hundred miles 
through Indiana. Upon the shores of the Ohio near 
it are groves of the Pecaun tree, carya oHvcBfornis. 
It is a beautiful straight tree, bearing a very pleasant 
nut. Pecaun, according to Schoolcraft, is the Chip- 
peway word for nut. At sun down we stopped to take 
in wood and to procure milk. As it was rather damp 
I did not land, but was much amused with the antics 
of men and boys, who delighted to have space, frol- 
icked and jumped about the woods. The southerners 
in their thin pink and purple or blue striped coats, 
added to the gaiety of the scene. Our steward with his 
tin kettle entered a small cottage, or rather log cabin, 
near, and procured a supply of fresh milk, which we 
saw a young country lass draw from their cow she 
had just driven home. While our husbands strolled 
together, my little catholic confided to me her history, 
after the fashion of travelling heorines you know. 
She was the daughter of a wealthy planter in Ken- 
tucky, Avho, although of the presbyterian faith, had 
sent his child to a catholic nunnery to be educated. 
She had, as is very common in such cases, become a 
convert to the catholic faith, and when her parents 
came to carry her home, declared it her intention to 
take the veil and never leave her convent. Her pa- 
rents intreaties and despair were of no use j stay she 



220 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

would, and did. A convent, however, was not to be 
her destmy, for she fell in love with a young gentle- 
man, brother of a friend of her's at the same convent, 
who often came there to see his sister. The attach- 
ment being mutual, they had, with the assistance of 
the sister, contrived to elope. They were now on 
their way to New York, and she was so fearful of 
being recognized and brought back, that she would 
not at first leave her state-room. ' Were you not 
sorry to leave your mother V I asked her. ' Oh dear 
yes, she and the sisters were always so kind to me .' 
' I mean your mother and your father, not the mother 
abbess.' ' Alas ! my parents are such sad heretics 
that I ought not to love them. I shall never see them 
in the next world, and it is better to be seperated 
here.' I was shocked at her answer, but thought the 
parents were well punished for the culpable step they 
had taken in placing their child where she was likely 
to embrace a religion different from their own. I 
wish to say nothing against the catholic religion, but 
if parents are miwilling their children should imbibe 
its tenets, they certainly do wrong to place them 
where they are taught. It is a custom too common 
in the west and south, and this is not the first instance 
I have known of division between parents and chil- 
dren in consequence. 

July 11th. — We are now sailing along the coast of 
Indiana, having bid adieu to the beautiful State of 
Illinois, after having travelled through it and along its 
coast over eight hundred miles. This State seems to 
be endowed by nature with every requisite for the 
comfort or enjoyment of life. It is three hundred and 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 221 

eighty miles long and two hundred and twenty broad. 
Upon three sides it is bounded by the Mississippi, 
Ohio, and Wabash, and upon the fourth by the great 
lakes ; it is crossed by streams, canals, and roads, and 
thus is enabled to send its produce in any direction. 
The soil which covers it is of inexhaustible fertility, 
capable of producing the richest fruits, grains, and 
vegetables, covered with woodland and prairie, and 
abounding with coal, metals, and quarries. It pre- 
sents a level plain, inclining gently to the Mississippi, 
consisting of thirty-seven million nine hundred and 
fifty-two thousand acres,* The prairie land occupies 
two thirds of the State ; the rest is wooded or bottom 
land. These prairies were once covered with herds 
of buffalo, wolves, and panthers; all now, except a 
few wolves, are far away over the Mississippi. These 
grassy pastures are valuable for cattle, and the soil is 
easily tilled, and produces trees where the fire is kept 
off. All sorts of grain, neat cattle, swine, horses, 
tobacco, cotton, and sugar, are raised with ease. The 
amount of the productions of this State, according 
to the tabular statement drawn up by the United States 
Marshall, H. Wilton, Esq., is fifty-one million four 
hundred and eleven thousand six hundred and six dol- 
lars. Take this account, and the number of its popu- 
lation, four hundred and twenty-three thousand nine 
hundred and thirty-four, and then turn to the state of 
the country only twenty years since, when it was the 
home of Indian tribes, with a few white men scattered 
over it, and you will obtain some idea of the sudden 
increase of the west. 

The want of timber and water, as pine is scarce in 

* Peck. 

19* 



222 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

Illinois, and upon the prairie there is but little of any 
kind, has prevented the settlement of the prairies. It 
is the opinion of all whom I heard speak upon the 
subject, they were the most eligible places of settle- 
ment, as water can be procured at the depth of fifteen 
or twenty feet, and timber easily brought over the 
smooth plains in wagons, while cutting down forests to 
clear the land is toilsome, and expensive. The centre 
of the prairies is always higher than the skirts, which 
if it renders them dry, makes them more healthy 
places of residence than the dank, humid ground of a 
forest. The tobacco, beef, and wheat of Illinois are 
superior to that of the neighboring States, and finds a 
ready sale in the market ; the latter weighing sixty- 
eight pounds to a bushel.* Very good wine is made 
there from the sweet grapes which abound in every 
part of the State. Coal is found in abundance every 
where, and will be constantly discovered ; iron and 
copper occur in some places, while the lead mines of 
this State, Wisconsin and Missouri, yield more than 
the whole of Europe including England. It is gene- 
rally a foliated glittering sulphuret found in cubical 
crystals, yielding fifty per cent, in log furnaces, and 
sixteen more after further process. The masses 
occur in clay and veins in the rocks, This rich mine- 
ral was so near the surface that the Indians frequently 
dug it up, and men in want of money were in the habit 
of procuring it, sure of a ready sale at St Louis. 
The people of Illinois obtained their nickname of 
suckers from the practice of going up the Mississippi 
when the spring opened for lead, which was the period 
of the annual voyage up the river of the Succar fish. 

* Judge Hall. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 223 

Thirty-three million lbs., was produced in all the lead 
region last year. The scenery of the mineral region 
is very beautiful and is watered by the Mississippi, 
Wisconsin, and other rivers. The interests of relisfion 
and education are not neglected ; the State has laid 
aside in lands and money, three millions for the latter 
object. Colleges are being erected, churches are 
building, and every thing for the comfort and refine- 
ment of life is here in progress. So if you have a 
mind to emigrate come to Illinois. We have to day 
passed several villages upon each side of the river, 
possessing little of interest to write you, except 
Hoarsville upon the Kentucky shore, where we 
stopped a little while. There is a coal mine in its 
vicinity. The Indiana shore presents an elevated 
bank upon which we continually saw farms and cotta- 
ges, but the opposite shore is low and subject to inun- 
dation, which gives it a lonely appearance. Both 
sides however are adorned with beautiful trees. Here 
beside giant beech, walnut and various oaks, were the 
pretty red bud, cercis canadensis, the Ulmus Ameri- 
cana, red maple, sassafras, cornus florida ; upon the 
Kentucky bank, besides extensive groves of cotton 
wood, were the basswood, or American lime with 
its yellow tassels, the gum, American nettle with its 
red berries, June berry and an endless variety of 
others, beautiful and rare. Fairy isles are occasionally 
passed, covered with pretty shrubs and flowers and 
fringed with the soft bushy willow called here tow. 
Indiana shows many pretty villages, embowered 
among her trees, or scattered along her sloping banks, 
and we have to day passed Troy, Evansville, Rock- 
port, Rome, Fredonia, Manchport, while the other 



224 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

side, Westport is quite a conspicuous and pleasing 
town, situated upon a high bluff, its houses perched 
like eagles nests, upon the high points of the cliff, 
while the brick court-house stands upon the bank 
beneath. The river upon both sides had for many 
miles back, presented a succession of these bluffs, 
wild and rugged, but after leaving Rockport, the rocks 
become more like regular hills, rising gradually to a 
high summit, cone shaped, covered with lofty trees 
and a carpet of verdure. We here saw that singular 
feature of Ohio shore scenery, the hills upon one shore 
faced with a level plain upon the opposite shore. Each 
shore presents a succession of hill and valley, the hills 
on one side being opposed to the valley of the other. 
As if, while the river ran from east to west, the strata 
crossed it N E, and S W., a rupture in these would 
leave room for the river. This agrees with the theory 
of our Alton friend, that the location and course of 
this river was caused by a rupture in the coal meas- 
ures. The boys upon the Ohio have imitated the 
Illinois ducks in their pastime, of which I wrote you j 
when our boat has passed, they push off the shore 
into the asfitated water of our wake, and seem to take 
much pleasure in bobbing up and down. We sailed 
under cliffs this afternoon of rough, rugged, jagged 
limestone, with precipices and romantic dells, quite 
sufficient to satisfy a whole boarding school of 
romantic misses. The setting sun cast his shadows 
far over the riv^r, leaving us in shade, while far above 
the trees which fringed the cliffs were painted with 
gold. A ray piercing through a vista in the rocks, 
fell upon the windows of the pretty town of Evans- 
ville, tipping its spires with burnished gold, lighting 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 225 

up the windows, as if each house kept high festival. 
Tint after tint of all this glory has faded, and see, the 
river is white with mist now rising high above the 
trees. After the intense heat of the day this strikes 
you with a chill, and they who know its fatal effects 
hasten within — reluctantly I follow them and bid you 
good night. 

July I'^th. — We are now approaching the falls of 
the Ohio, which are rapids caused by a ledge of blue 
limestone rocks, which here cross the river, and im- 
pede the navigation except in very high water. To 
avoid this, a canal is cut across the bend of the river, 
two and a half miles in length to Louisville. This 
canal is excavated out of the compact limestone, and 
the cut is in some places ten feet deep. There are 
four locks. The amount of tolls received here from 
eighteen hundred and thirty-one to eighteen hundred 
and thirty-seven, was, according to Judge Hall, four 
hundred and seventy-five thousand twenty-five dollars 
and fourteen cents, and he gives a list of four hundred 
and seventeen steamboats which passed through the 
canal during the year eighteen hundred and thirty 
seven. 

There is a small place called Shipping Port, at the 
mouth of the canal, where we observed several hand- 
some carriages in waiting, for those who thus preferred 
it, to the slower operation of ascending twenty-two 
feet of lockage. Here were several steamboats moored. 
As we entered the second lock, the North Star, a fine 
boat, of one hundred and forty-eight tons came dashing 
into the lock we had left, and when we had both as- 
cended, the Maine, which we had passed upon the 



226 A SUBDIER JOURKEY IN THE WEST. 

riv^er yesterday, entered the first lock, so that we had 
the novel spectacle of three large steamboats, filled 
with merchandize and passengers, all at one time rising 
and fallintr in several locks. The locks are larsfe 
enough for first class boats, and the whole of the 
canal is finished in the most solid and beautiful man- 
ner. It is fifty feet wide at surface. No horses are 
used, we passed through by steam. The strata cut 
through at the canal presented, 1st. friable slate three 
inches ; five feet of fetid limestone, containing petri- 
factions, water lime, blue limestone compact grey lime- 
stone, with nodules of quartz and limestone. The water 
lime was used by the workifien. Cedar trees Vv'ere dug 
up, human bones and jire j^laces. When we had left 
the canal, we beheld before us the sloping bank, cov- 
ered with houses, manufactories, churches, &c. This 
was Louisville, the capital of Kentucky, seated upon 
a gradually rising bank, commanding a fine view of 
the river and the Indiana shore opposite. We landed, 
and as we had but two hours to remain here, we im- 
mediately entered a coach, and directed the man to 
drive us through all the streets, past every remarkable 
building, and in fact show us all the lions. My head 
was out the window a dozen times, calling ' Driver 
what building is that V The streets are wide and 
straight, containing many handsome buildings. Main 
street is the principal business street, and is lined with 
rows of shops upon each side, for, it seemed to me a 
mile, and in the suburbs, iron and cotton factories, 
steam mills, &c. The private houses are handsome, 
and some of the new ones, built of the native lime- 
stone, threaten to rival any in the State. The hotels 
seemed calculated to accommodate a large number of 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 227 

travellers. The court house which is now building, 
is very large, and when finished will be quite an 
ornament to the city. It is an oolite limestone found 
in Indiana. We passed a high school, seminary, 
twelve churches, a theatre, three markets, and a large 
building with wings, having a portico in front, sup- 
ported with marble columns, which is, we were told, 
the Marine Hospital. This city carries on a brisk 
trade. There are twenty-five steamboats, over a hun- 
dred tons burthen, which ply betAveen this port and 
Cincinnati, and New Orleans. Louisville is five hun- 
dred and thirty-four miles from St. Louis, and we have 
one hundred and thirty-two more to go to Cincinnati. 
If we are to believe one of their papers, the cause 
of education flourishes, as there has been published, 
this year, by one firm, one hundred and thirteen thou- 
sand volumes of school books, they having in these 
and other works expended sixteen thousand dollars 
worth of paper. Our driver stopped at the gate of a 
public garden, which he said was a fashionable resort. 
We peeped in, but were more anxious to behold works 
of art than nature, and soon re-entered the carriage, 
and finding our time expired, returned to the vessel. 
Here we were obliged to wait some time, and in the 
meanwhile amused ourselves, in examining the shore. 
Corn Island, with the rapids glittering in the morning 
sun, was upon one side, and upon the other, the town 
of Jeffersonville, is situated upon an elevated bank, 
on the Indiana shore. The buildings are very showy, 
being of red brick, and some of them pretty. Steam 
ferry boats are constantly passing between this place 
and Louisville. Corn Island, is said by the Indians to 
have been the last stand of the last of the mound build- 



228 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

ers, who, they say, were driven away from the country 
by their ancestors. I forgot to mention New Albany, 
which we passed a few miles beyond Louisville. It 
is a considerable place, doing much business, and 
having several churches, lyceum, schools, and other 
public institutions. The heat drove me into the 
ladies' cabin, which being empty, I sat down to put 
down a few notes. I had scarcely seated myself, 
when the young catholic runaway, I mentioned before, 
rushed in, and throwing herself beside me, hid her 
head in my lap exclaiming, ' Oh, they are here, my 
mother, my father ! they will separate me from Ed- 
ward forever !' I looked towards the door with much 
anxiety, for I had heard the southern planters were a 
gouging, raw head and bloody bones sort of people, 
who whipped a slave to death once a week, and I feared 
for the fate of the poor young wife. My information 
however, had been taken from foreign tourists, and I 
found this idta like many others I had imbibed from 
them, was far from truth. Imagine my surprise, when 
a pleasant, good humored looking man entered the 
room, and seating himself in a chair, gave way to a 
hearty fit of laughter. His wife, a tall, slender, lady- 
like looking personage, walked directly up to her 
daughter, and folded her in her arms, while gentle 
tears flowed over her cheeks. I looked at the father 
in perplexity, wondering at his extraordinary merri- 
ment, and at Edward who stood beside him, having, 
I thought, a most unbecoming smirk upon his counte- 
nance. The lady looked up to her husband reproach- 
fully, but said nothing. ' My dear madam,' he said at 
last to me, * 1 understand you have taken a kind in- 
terest in my little girl's concerns, and I owe it to you 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 229 

to explain the circumstances of the case. Anxious 
to give my daughter the best of education, I sent her 
to a convent not far from my estate, where there were 
some very accomplished ladies from Europe, who 
could teach her all I wished her to know. But when 
I went to take her home, my lady fancied herself a 
catholic, and renounced her home and friends forever. 
I returned home in despair, and while revolving my fu- 
ture proceedings in this disagreeable affair, Edward, the 
son of a dear friend, who several years since had remo- 
ved to New York came to make us a visit. In telling him 
my difficulties, I added how glad I should have been, 
had this not occurred, to give her and my plantation to 
him. ' I will scale the convent and carry her off,' he 
said, in a jest. The idea struck me as a good one, I 
pressed it upon him, and you see here they are, and 
have my hearty blessing.' The bride, as her father spoke, 
had gradually dried her tears, and raised her head a lit- 
tle. When she began to understand the denouement, 
she first blushed deeply with mortificationjHhen pouted, 
and at last burst suddenly into a merry laugh, and 
ran like a fawn into her father's outspread arms, ex- 
claiming, ' Oh, you naughty papa ! you good for 
nothing papa !' The party soon after departed, and 
I received kind expressions and adieus from all, and a 
few tears from the bride. All pressed us to visit them, 
and the father said if we would only come to Big 
Bloody Bone Buffalo Lick, he would show us the finest 
blue grass fields, best corn and tobacco, and heartiest 
negroes in all old Kentuck. And if I wanted a nice 
young girl to wait upon me, I should have the pick of 
all his slaves. I was quite delighted to meet with 

such a romantic adventure, for I had been looking out 

20 



230 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

for something, as you must be very tired of hearing 
about nothing but trees, and rivers, and towns. Pray 
do not th^k 1 made this out of my fertile brain, I 
assure you^it is true. 

After leaving Louisville the shores become more 
cultivated upon each side than they have been. Ex- 
tensive cornfields, in Indiana, show they are as great 
' corn-crackers' as their neighbors. The houses are 
better built, and always of brick or limestone, as pine 
is scarce upon the Ohio. The Kentucky river emp- 
ties into the Ohio, about sixty miles above Louisville ; 
it is a beautiful stream coming down from the Cum- 
berland mountain, running through high limestone 
cliffs, and a rich country, containing salt, coal, and 
iron, in abundance. It is three hundred and twenty- 
five miles long, and upon it stands Frankfort. At its 
mouth is a town called Port William, a small place. 
Kentucky shore, now becomes more cultivated and its 
blue grass fields nod in concert to the maize of the 
opposite side. Nothing could be prettier than the 
Ohio as we sailed along its ' amber tide' this day. 
The yellow marl, which occurs so frequently along 
its banks gives it a yellowish tinge. The river looked 
as if it had been arranged by the hand of a landscape 
gardener, so prettily combined was the grand and 
beautiful. The trees are so many of them cultivated 
with us in our ornamented grounds, that it takes from 
the wildness of the scene. Here we saw the locust, 
the horse-chestnut, the willow, tulip and column like 
cotton tree. Among these the Virginia creeper, grape, 
and other vines are clustering and swinging in the 
summer breeze. Springing from spray to spray was 
the mocking bird, blue bird, and brilliant green and 



A SUMMER JOTJRNEY IN THE WEST. 231 

red paroquet flashing in the mid-day sun. , Among 
these are pretty towns, farms, and cottages — the 
whole having a back ground of jagged precipice, or 
smooth swelling hills. Madison, upon the Indiana 
shore, is the place where we were to strike the Ohio, 
if we had journeyed through Indiana as we proposed at 
first. A railroad leads from this town to Indianapolis, 
ninety-iive miles, and is completed to Vernon, twenty- 
five miles. From Indianapolis to La Fayette is a 
McAdamized road, and another rail-road will soon 
be completed from the latter place to lake Michi- 
gan. That would have been our route, and we 
should have seen some of the best towns in In- 
diana. Madison is a very pretty town, and larger than 
any we had passed. It is built principally of brick, 
and we counted six churches and a court house, be- 
sides banks, founderies, factories, mills and boat yards. 
The streets are wide and McAdamized. It is situated 
upon a sloping bank of the river, while behind it, 
the hills which rose up to nearly three hundred feet, 
were covered with farms, dotted with sheep and 
cottages. Some handsome mansions were erected 
among the hills in conspicuous situations and must 
have commanded a fine view of the town beneath, and 
the river winding away through bluffs and forests in 
front of them. The population is about two thousand. 
Madison is fifty-three miles from Louisville, and 
twenty miles farther is Vevay, settled by a party of 
emigrants from Switzerland. The river here stretches 
away to the north, leaving a point which is the county 
of Switzerland, bathed upon two sides by the Ohio, 
and containing very fertile soil. Here the transplanted 
Swiss have made a new home, and it is a very beauti- 



232 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

ful one, occupying themselves in raising grapes. 
Their vineyards are very flourishing and they make 
much good wine. They cuUivate the blue grape, Ma- 
diera grape, and the native county grape, which makes 
good wine. The hills here, no doubt, often resound 
.with the songs of their father land from which they 
are so many miles distant. As we approach the State 
of Ohio we feel as if we were returning to a cultivated 
country, for farms and dwellings, of superior style, 
denoting wealth and prosperity, occur frequently upon 
the shores. One of them was quite elegant, built of 
brick, faced with marble, and adorned with a portico 
in front, of the same material. Our setting sun is 
obscured by dark frowning clouds, which threaten us 
with a storm. It comes in whirling spray and wind 
which makes our stout bark rock under us, and the 
terrific thunder out-roars our groaning steam-pipe. In 
the course of half an hour it was over, but hundreds 
of lofty trees had been swept from the banks and now 
were floating past us in all their leafy honors. A sud- 
den stop in our boat's speed sent us all out to ascer- 
tain the cause. I asked if it were another log, but 
found the engine had met with some breakage, which 
would detain us a little while. The steamboat was 
laid by the shore, and took this opportunity to get a 
supply of wood. As the evening was mild we left 
the boat for a stroll, and to say we had been in Indiana. 
With some little effort we climbed the clifls, and when 
there, found ourselves in front of a neat farm house 
surrounded by barns and orchards. The passengers 
spread themselves about in every direction, and we 
were very much provoked to see some of them wan- 
tonly pulling oft^ the young green apples and throwing 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 233 

them to the hogs for amusement. I do not know what 
kmd of consciences these people had — 1 would as soon 
have stolen the farmer's pigs as his apples ; but I know 
men and boys are always rather lax in their morality 
towards apple orchards. Prompted by a Yankee cu- 
riosity to see the inside of an Indiana cottage, I opened 
the gate, and after passing through a small court-yard 
adorned with flowers, we entered the open door and 
found ourselves in a neat apartment with comfortable 
carpets, chairs, etc. This room opened again upon a 
long piazza at the side of the house, ornamented with 
a row of clean bright churns and milk pans. The 
farmer and his wife now entered followed by a troop 
of children bearing pails loaded with foaming rich 
milk. They were surprised to find strangers in their 
house and quite a crowd in front of it. Soon under- 
standing the case, they kindly invited us to be seated 
and offered us a choice of new milk or hard cider. 
They had emigrated here from New York State soon 
after their marriage, and having hewed themselves a 
home in the forest, had gradually, by industry and 
perseverance, brought every thing around chem to its 
present flourishing condition. They seemed happy 
and healthy. From their door there was a lovely 
view of the winding river, and the plains of Kentucky 
opposite. When we had descended to the shore we 
amused ourselves gathering specimens of the rocks. 
They were a hard dark brown limestone, and ap- 
peared a mass of organic remains, containing encrini, 
terabratula, and orthoceratites. We searched the 
pebbles along the shore in hopes of finding some of 
the pretty silecious specimens which I had found upon 

the Illinois, but succeeded, however, in picking up 

20* 



23'h A SUBIMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

only some small pieces of jasper and a few petrified 
shells. At a little distance a flat boat was drawn up 
to the shore and fastened to a tree ; one of those long 
odd looking species of water craft which once was the 
only kind seen upon these rivers. A man came from it, 
and as he reached us, bade us politely good evening, 
and asked what we were searching for. Some persons 
would have found his conduct very improper, and his 
question impertinent, but I never mistake the frank, 
kind, independent manner of my countr3rmen for im- 
pertinence. We returned his salute and informed him 
of the object of our search. ' You'll And nothing here 
so pretty as is on the Mississippi and lake Superior. 
IVe been pretty much over them regions and found 
some rale beauties — they are called cornelions, and 
red a'most as them what's used as watch seals. I 
found some geodes, I think they call 'em, also.' I said 
I had heard of those and hoped some might have been 
washed down upon these shores. 'My wife's got 
some in the boat which she'll show you ma'am if you 
walk there.' I looked up at the boat from whose 
windows several female heads were taking observa- 
tions, and concluded to go there. We followed our 
new acquaintance into his ark, which I found was his 
house and shop, he being a floating pedlar, and had 
anchored, or rather tied his ark to the rocks here to 
avoid the storm. His boat was not the common flat 
boat, but was of the species called keel boats, and oc- 
casionally carried a sail. In addition to his sail he 
used oars and poles to propel it with. It was a rudely 
built aftair, just high enough within for a man to stand, 
but every thing was comfortably arranged. His wife 
and his other woman were setting the supper table. At 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 235 

his request she readily displayed her stores, and would 
have pressed them upon me if I would have taken 
them. After we had returned to our boat we looked 
towards the shore and beheld the crew assembled 
for a jumping match. They were a motly assemblage 
of fire-men, covered with soot, pilots, stewards, etc. 
They formed a line — one of them placing himself in 
the centre, holding a stone in each hand, swayed him- 
self backward and forward, and then sprang, some 
jumping eighteen, twenty and twenty-two feet, with 
the greatest ease. While crew and passengers were 
thus amusing themselves, we were aroused by the cry 
of ' The lone is coming ! away boys, away !' and 
bounding over the shore they were soon in the boat. 
We understood the meaning of this sudden cry, and 
were much amused with the amazement and terror 
depicted in the countenances of those who did not. 
'What is coming?' they cried. 'Bears, wolves, 
sawyers, what!' It was soon all explained; the lone 
was in view, which we had left behind us, and it was 
feared it would arrive at Cincinnati before us. The 
hands were working with all their might ; the break- 
age was finished ; the paddle threw up a whirl of foam ; 
steam whizzed ; pipes snorted ; engineer's bell tingled, 
and away we went, hurry skurry, after our rivals who 
had passed us with a triumphant cheer. Straining 
every rope and piece of machinery we soon shot 
ahead of the presumptuous lone, ringing our bell and 
shouting in our turn. She was determined not to be 
out done, and a regular race came on. We ladies all 
determined we would not go to bed, but would remain 
up, alarmed and uncomfortable ; one went so far as to 
threaten to faint if the captain did not slacken his speed, 



236 A SUMMER JOITRNEY IN THE WEST. 

but we were laughed at by the gentlemen who enjoyed 
the sport. Hour after hour of the night passed away 
while we rushed swiftly through the Avaters, with our 
foe just in our rear. * Hurra ! fling on more wood !' 
was the cry from below. High blazed the furious fire, 
illuminating the water around ; the steam increased— 
the engine worked madly — the boat strained and 
groaned at every stroke, and seemed actually to spring 
out of the water. Behind us come our rival puffing, 
panting, snorting, throwing out volumes of flame and 
sparks like some fiery dragon of old, and as she came 
near, we could see into her lower deck, where around 
the fierce fire, shadowy forms were rushing, bounding, 
carrying wood, heaping it on, shouting and cursing. 
One strain too much — one upright snag in our path, 
and we should all be strewed, some hundred souls, 
upon the water, writhing, agonizing, dying — and all 
for what 1 that we might arrive one hour the sooner 
in the night, at Cincinnati, where we should be obliged 
to lie still till morning ; or perhaps it was the honor 
of beating another boat, — honor here setting the steam 
in motion as well as the sv»'ord. Onr rival, unable to 
compete with us, abandoned the race, and was soon 
left behind ; our people satisfied with this wonderful 
triumph relaxed in their speed ; the ladies recovered 
from their fears, and one by one crept into their berths. 
We had here no such heroine as she who is going the 
rounds in the newspapers, who in the excitement of 
the race, finding the wood failing, directed her smoked 
hams to be thrown on the fire. 

Sixteen miles below Cincinnati is the residence of 
Gen. Harrison, the candidate for the Presidency. It is 
said he lived in a log cabin, but it was a neat country 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 237 

dwelling, which, however, I dimly saw by moonlight. 
To judge from what we have seen upon the road, Gen. 
H. will carry all the votes of the west, for every one 
seemed enthusiastic in his favor. Log cabins were 
erected in every town, and a small one of wickerwork 
stood upon nearly all the steamboats. At the wood- 
yards along the rivers, it Avas very common to see a 
sio-n bearinn-the words, 'Harrison wood' : ' whi^ wood,' 
or ' Tippicanoe wood,' he having gained a battle at a 
place of that name. The western States indeed, owe 
him a debt of gratitude, for he may be said to be the 
cause, under Providence, of their flourishing condi- 
tion. He subdued the Indians, laid the land out in 
sections, thus opening a door for settlers, and in fact, 
deserves the name given him of ' Father of the west.' 
We have now passed another State, Indiana, along 
whose borders by the winding of the river, we have 
come three hundred and fifty miles from the Wabash 
river. It is a fertile State, like its surrounding sister 
States, having but little hilly ground, most of it being 
undulating prairie. It is crossed by several fine 
rivers ; has the Ohio for its southern, and lake Michi- 
gan for its northern border. It is two hundred and 
seventy-five miles long and one hundred and forty-five 
broad, containing thirty-eight thousand square miles. 
Except the sand hills of lake Michigan, and swamps 
of the Kankakee, its soil is of inexhaustible fertility. 
Canals to the aggregate length of two hundred and 
thirty miles have been completed, or are in a state 
of forwardness, and ninety-five of railroads. India- 
napolis is the capitol, situated in Marion county, 
upon the White river, and in the centre of the State. 
This county is a very fertile one, having raised the 



238 A SlTxAIMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

last year, according to the marshal's report, nine hun- 
dred thousand bushels of corn ; sixty-seven thousand 
bushels of oats ; thirty thousand bushels of wheat, 
and twenty thousand head of hogs. Indianapolis is 
only twenty years old, having been, upon its site, a 
dense forest in 1820 ; now it has several public build- 
ings, churches, schools, court-house, etc., and two 
thousand inhabitants. The amount of tolls taken upon 
the canals and railroads of Indiana amount to twenty- 
eight thousand five hundred dollars. Salt of a very 
fine kind is made in Fountain county. Its population 
is six hundred and eightj'-three thousand three hun- 
dred and fourteen. At two o'clock at night we 
arrived at Cincinnati, and took up our position at the 
end of a long line of steamers, where we tried to 
sleep until morning. 



LETTER X. 

Cincinnati, July 19th. 
My dear E. — As much as we had heard of Cincin- 
nati, we were astonished at its beauty and extent, 
and of the solidity of its buildings. It well merits the 
name bestowed upon it here, — Queen of the west. We 
have explored it thoroughly by riding and walking, 
and pronounce it a wonderful city. The hotel to 
which we were recommended, the Broadway House, 
was commodious and well conducted. The family is 
a very agreeable one, and well educated, but remain 
in their own private apartments. There are numerous 
other hotels of all descriptions, but none rival it, un- 
less it may be the new one called the Henri House. 
Soon after breakfast we ordered a carriage, which we 
found to be quite as handsome as any we have in our 
city. We spent the morning slowly driving up and 
down each street, along the Miami canal, and in the 
environs of the city in every direction, and were quite 
astonished — not because we had never seen larger and 
finer cities, but that this should have arisen in what 



240 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

was so lately a wilderness. Its date, you know, is 
only thirty years back. The rows of stores and ware- 
houses ; the extensive and ornamented private dwell- 
ings; the thirty churches, many of them very hand- 
some, and other public buildings, excited our surprise. 
Main street is the principal business mart. While in 
the centre of this street, we mark it for a mile ascend- 
ing the slope upon which the town is built, and in 
front it seems interminable, for the river being low, 
we do not observe we are looking across it to the 
street of the opposite city of Covington, until a steam- 
boat passing, tells us where the city ends. Broadway 
is another main artery of this city ; not, however, de- 
voted to business, but bounded upon each side by rows 
of handsome dwellings. Third, Fourth, Seventh, Vine, 
and many other streets, show private houses not sur- 
passed by any city we had visited. They are gen- 
erally extensive, and surrounded by gardens, and 
almost concealed from view of the passers, by groves 
of shade trees and ornamental shrubbery. An acci- 
dental opening among the trees shows you a glimpse 
of a piazza or pavillion, where, among groves and 
gardens, the air may be enjoyed by the children or 
ladies of the family. 

We visited a museum in hopes of seeing some 
Indian relics or organic remains, but found these curi- 
osities had met with the fate of all things in America, 
destruction by fire. The owner of the museum had 
been nineteen years collecting it, and it contained, 
among other things, bones of mastodon, and mummies, 
taken from a cave in Kentucky. The last, we were 
informed by the wife of the proprietor, were in a sit- 
ting posture, wrapped in mantles, one having red hair. 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 241 

the other black. She was now doing her best to col- 
le«t another museum. Their house is a very nice 
one, having three tiers of rooms, and is rented to 
them for one thousand dollars. 'How did the fire 
originate V I asked of the lady of the museum. ' Why, 
ma'am,' said she, ' you must know the cellar of this 
house, unbeknown to me, was let out to a yellow bar- 
ber, who had some powder for sale which blew up 
to our garret one day, and set it on fire. I heard the 
explosion, but thought it one of the steamboats at the 

wharf ' ' Pardon me madam,' I said, ' but pray 

how many times a week do your steamboats blow 

upV 'Why, I can't exactly tell ' 'Oh, well; 

go on with your story.' ' That day I came into this 
room before it was burnt, and says, George, says I, 
to the man who is now playing on the organ just 
as he was then, George, what is that which smells 
so much like burnt paint 1 Why, missus, says he, it 
is the back of this yere bench which was almost a 
coal afore I put it out. Why, George, says I, how 
did that happen 1 Why, the yaller barber's stove- 
pipe was so hot, says he, it sot it afire. I ran to 
the bench and found it had been, sure enough, burnt, 
and the wall felt quite hot. George, what is that 
crackling noise, says I. Why it's the yaller barber's 
stove-pipe what's a cooling, says he. But I smelt 
smoke, and I said to George, George, do run up stars 
and see if there aint any fire anyhow. He went, but 
soon came thumping down again, making as much 
noise as if he had been a great mastydone. George, 
says I, what's the matter 1 Matter! why, gorry, 
massa missus ! the roof's burnt and fell on the garret 

floor, and the garret floor's afire and fell on the third 

21 



242 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

story floor Pshaw, George, you're poking fun 

at me; but just then up runs it.j husband as wild as a 
prairie wolf. Wife ! Good God 1 the roof is all 
afire 1 he cried and ran up stairs ; when, just as he 
leached the second flight, the third floor fell down 
upon him, and he was enveloped in flames. He was 
dug out, and you may be sure he was a show ; burnt 
to a mummy ; his hat looking a bit of coke ; his dress 
hanging in scorched tatters, and blind with smoke, he 
staggered about like a drunken nigger. He was six 
weeks before he recovered from that burning.' 'In- 
deed ; this fire has cost you much suffering.' ' I have 
not told you all. There is a young girl, a distant rela- 
tion living with me, to whom I am much attached ; she 
was up stairs, heard a noise, saw the fire, and went to 
run down stairs, when behold the stairs was away — 
burnt and fell down. She ran about like a wild Injun, 
trying to escape, but could not, and at last sank down 
at the place where the stairs had been, and expected 
to die. Just at that moment, as if sent by Providence, 
some men from a flat boat ran up to help us. 'Why, 
mother, you're in a bad fix anyhow,' said one; 'what 
is your greatest treasure here, and we will try to save 
that first.' My greatest treasure, I said, is a young 
girl, whom I dearly love, who is up stairs ; but I am 
afraid you cannot save her» He ran along and looked 
up, when, just then, in a fit of despair, she flung her- 
self down, thinking she might as well die so, as she 
must die up stairs anyhow, and he being just under 
caught her. She was very much bruised, and her 
head is still much affected with heat and wounds.' I 
truly sympathized with the unfortunate dillitante, as 
the loss of a museum which one has been collecting 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST 243 

twenty years is a serious evil. I think it behooves 
the citizens of Cincinnati to encourage her endeavors 
to gather a new collection, by patronizing her museum. 
From the upper balcony is a very beautiful view of the 
opposite shores of Kentucky. The two towns of Cov- 
ington and Newport line the bank with numerous 
buildings, some of them very pretty; while behind 
them arise a range of picturesque hills, covered with 
luxuriant herbage. These two towns are separated 
by the river Licking, whose bright waters, after flow- 
ing for two hundred miles through the fair plains of 
Kentucky, enter the Ohio opposite Cincinnati. Be- 
neath us we looked down upon the wharf, which was 
a scene of mixed gaiety and business. A row of 
steamboats lay along the shore, from and to which 
flowed a constant current of men and goods. From 
some of the largest, the music of the band which they 
always carry sounded merrily, while broad, bright 
flags floated out upon the summer breeze. 

Re-entering our carriage, we drove down to Fulton, 
a town about two miles from Cincinnati, but which 
may be called a part of it, as the road is one long 
street leading to it, containing iron founderies, water 
works, lumber yards, &c. Omnibuses are constantly 
passing and re-passing along this street. We observed 
here several large steamboats upon the stocks, some cf 
which were copper bottomed, as a guard against snags. 
Fulton looks pretty at a distance, seated at the foot, 
of a round, soft green hill. After tea, we passed 
through the city, to the river, along whose bank, is 
a very pretty road. This is the fashionable evening 
drive, and we passed several carriages, containing la- 
dies and children, and young persons on horseback, 



24<4< A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

enjoying the bland evening air. Although the heat 
had been excessive during the day; it was now 
perfectly cool, Avhich is usually the case here. Ken- 
tucky looked very lovely, as the setting sun tinged its 
hill tops, and threw a rosy haze over its groves, and 
fields and pretty cottages. The broad river looked 
placid and lustrous, as if rejoicing in the pretty reflec- 
tions which lay upon its surface. A small fort oppo- 
site, we were told was erected in honor of the hero 
of Tippecanoe, Gen. Harrison, who is much beloved 
here, and whom they expect to be the next President 
of the United States. 

July 20th. — I am happy to inform you the state of 
religion and morals in this place, are such as would 
please every lover of Jesus and of good order. One 
fact speaks for itself, there are here thirty churches. 
There are also twelve public schools, and between two 
and three thousand scholars, who are there educated. 
What a blessed thing is it to see a city, instead of 
lavishing its surplus wealth upon theatres and places 
of dissipation, erecting schools, and such respectable, 
nay, elegant houses of public worship as we see in 
Cincinnati. The consequences are seen in the cir- 
cumstances and behaviour of the people. Here is no 
haunt of vice, no Faubourg St. Antoine, no Jive points^ 
the people keep the Sabbath, and are respectable and 
happy. Sunday morning we attended service at 
Christ Church, where we heard the beautiful episcopal 
service read by their pastor, the Rev. Mr. Brooks, who 
afterwards gave us a very good discourse. This is a 
very handsome church, in the gothic form, abounding 
in spires and abutments, it is a grey brick edged with 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 245 

stone. The interior is very elegant. The pews are 
all lined and cushioned with blue, while the pulpit, 
and chancel, and reading desk, are a dazzling mass of 
bronze, and crimson, and gold ; they are of bronze and 
gilt Gothic open work, lined with crimson velvet. 
Some antique chairs, and benches of oak, carved, lined 
and cushioned with velvet, stand here, while the whole 
is surrounded with a railing, and kneeling cushion of 
the same material and lining. The lamps and chan- 
daliers are profuse and rich, and the organ beautifully 
built of bronze. In the same street is another epis- 
copal church called St. Pauls, which is in the Grecian 
style, with a pediment in front, supported by columns. 
There are six presbyterian churches here, some of 
which we visited, and which are handsome and well 
attended. 

In the evening we went to the church of the Rev. 
Mr. Lynde, a baptist clergyman, whose church is in 
a very flourishing condition, he having baptised five 
hundred new members last winter. This chapel is in 
Ninth street, and is a large brick building having a tall 
white spire. Every thing within is plain but neat. 
The seats are in the sofa style, edged with mahogany, 
lined and cushioned with horse hair, and having, 
several of them, the owner's name in brass plates upon 
the door, as in some of our churches. The lamps 
and chandaliers, as in the episcopal church, are more 
in number and richer than I have ever seen in our 
best churches. We were quite pleased with Mr. L. 
His manner had a dignity and firmness, as if thoroughly 
convinced of the truths he advanced ; and his address 
to his people came with the power of one who spoke 

with authority. How pleasant it is to find this region, 

21* 



246 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

which so lately resounded with savage merriment or 
war cries, now echoing the truth as it is in Jesus. 

July 2\st. — We arose early, and walked out to see 
the markets. There are three, well built. The one 
on Broadway was filled with a profusion of meats, 
fruits and vegetables, which last were uncommonly 
fine. The streets around the market, were blocked 
up with wagons loaded with country produce. During 
our rambles through the streets I was struck by the sight 
of a building, the oddest I ever beheld. It was a huge 
ugly thing, being a strange mixture of styles, and an at- 
tempt at Gothic, Turkish, and Moorish. This was Mrs. 
Trollop's erection, built for a house of pleasure^ and 
rooms were constructed for balls, refreshment, and 
dressing rooms, while below were to be shops. These 
balls were to be in the style of Almacks, quite exclusive. 
It is now a ' Mechanic Institute,' and when not using 
their rooms for the exhibitions, let them out to lec- 
turers, exhibition of pictures, or a fair. The front is 
of brick adorned with Gothic arches, and the roof 
surmounted with Gothic ornaments. A square tower 
rises from the back of the building having a row of 
brick pillars in front, this contains a room having 
windows all around ; on the top of this tower is 
another, around one, having as I said, a sort of moor- 
ish top. We saw the time approach for leaving the 
* Queen City,' with regret. We left it in the steam- 
boat Agnes, a new and pretty boat, but small, ' calcu- 
lated to run any where it was moist,' as the river is 
too low for the larger boats to ascend to Wheeling. 
The river's greatest rise here is sixty-three feet, and 
it then runs with a current of six miles an hour 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 247 

When out in the river we looked sadly back at Cin- 
cinnati, which appears Queen like indeed, while 
majestically reposing upon her throne of stately hills, 
with the glorious river at her feet. Cincinnati is 
built upon two plains which rise in gentle slopes from 
the river, Fifty years ago, fort Washington stood 
here, and now there is a large city of forty-five thou- 
sand inhabitants, containing churches, lyceums, colle- 
ges, and doing a business of six million dollars. 
There are a great many manufactories, and forges, 
and the steel and iron business is carried on to a con^ 
siderable amount, 'from ponderous beam of steam 
engine, cylenders and steam machinery, to household 
articles.' Its doings in the pork line you have heard 
of, several of the largest ware-houses were pointed 
out to us as ' pork ware-houses.' The Miami canal 
comes into the Ohio at Cincinnati, thus bringing to it 
the produce from lake Erie. The little Miami rail- 
road is also to terminate here. A bend in the river, 
and the ' Queen of the West' is lost to our eyes. 
The river scenery is very beautiful to day, lined with 
thriving farms, dotted with pretty villas and towns, 
having a back ground of those peculiar green hills 
which occur upon this river called the Ohio hills. 
Among the towns we passed were New Richmond, 
twenty-one miles from Cincinnati, Moscow, Mechan- 
icsville, Augusta &c. &c. Maysville is' quite a large 
town in Kentucky which looked very gay as the sun, 
setting over the shadowy hills lighted up its scarlet 
brick houses and gave a brighter tint to the cotton 
wood groves with which they were surrounded. 

July ^Ist. — When we left our state-room we found 



248 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

ourselves near Portsmouth, the largest town we had 
seen since leaving Cincinnati. It is seated upon a 
platform elevated above the river at the foot of a group 
of pretty ' Ohio hills.' Every one looked very busy 
here, the shops displayed a goodly show of merchan- 
dise, two large hotels seemed full of people, drays 
were travelling about, water carts were being filled in 
the river, and little boys and girls were hastening 
down to come on board and sell their cakes and fruit. 
I did not go on shore, as we were to stay only a short 
time, but amused myself gazing about, and eating 
black and whortleberries which the little buckeye 
girls sold for ' a fip a quart.' This town is the south- 
ern termination of the Ohio canal whose northern 
outlet we had passed at Cleaveland upon lake Erie. 
The Scioto river also enters the Ohio here. It is a 
pretty stream 175 miles long. In the country through' 
which it flows is much iron ; and forges and founde- 
riesare established in many places around Portsmouth, 
which is a market for their produce. The hills oppo- 
site this place are of a grander character than any we 
had seen upon the Ohio, and now, with the lights and 
shades of early summer morning upon them, formed a 
charming picture for the inhabitants of Portsmouth. 
I remarked several pretty dwellings surrounded by 
shrubbery, which showed there were many here who 
were *well to do in the world.' What delightful resi- 
dences must these Ohio towns be, for persons of 
small fortuyie, or to tradesmen. All the comforts of 
life can be obtained with little expense, while good 
air, and good laws, shed health and peace around. Our 
passengers and freight exchanged for others, we 
turned our course from the shore, and followed the 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 249 

bends of La Belle riviere, (worthy of its name) as it 
wound through a well settled country, its shadowy 
hills now appearing more frequently, giving a more 
varied character to the scenery. The water grows 
purer as we ascend, and shallower, so that we can at 
times distinguish the sand and stones at the bottom. 
The Buckeye tree is seen in large groves, or pretty 
groups or copses, giving a very cultivated air to the 
shores, as we had been used to see it, ornamenting our 
streets, under the ugly name horse-chesnut. But 
although much alike in external appearance our tree 
is a transplanted one, originally from Asia, the ^scu- 
lus Ilippocastinum, while this tree is a native of Ohio, 
designated by the botanist as the --iEsculus Ohioensis 
There are here seven species of this tree, which 
from their deep green glossy leaves, and pretty 
flowers are a great ornament to the groves of Ohio. 
It is an useful tree, and from the softness of its wood 
is easy to cut. In the early days of Ohio, when the 
settlers were in want of many articles of household 
furniture, they resorted to the buckeye. After building 
their log cabins of its branches, they formed, according 
to Dr. Drake, cradles, tables, bowls, platters, spoons, 
and troughs for gathering maple sap. The covering 
of the nut can be used as soap, while starch and medi- 
cine are also procured from it. The nut being brown, 
with a round white spot upon it, is called buckeye ; 
and in consequence of their frequent use, and constant 
praises of this tree, the people of Ohio received from 
their neighbors the soubriquet of Buckeyes. The 
western people are fond of these nicknames. 1 told 
you the Qlinoisians were called Suckers, the Missou- 
rians are Pukes j the Kentuckians, Corncrackers ; 



250 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

Virginians, Tuckahoes j Indianians, Hoosiers ; Michi- 
ganians, Wolverine?, &c. 

While sailing, or rather to use the customary phrase 
here, riding along these western rivers, one is struck 
with the destruction of trees. What magnificent 
forests we passed to-day, where the huge and towering 
sycamore, the dark green buckeye, the lighter cotton 
wood, the tall and graceful shaft of the sugar maple, 
the white elm, with its beautifully arranged branches 
and purple flowers, the silvery white maple, the oak, 
the beech, woven together by missletoe and other 
creepers, on the Ohio shore 5 and on the Kentucky 
bank, the blue ash, the coffee tree, stately tulip, yellow 
locust, dark leaved hackberry, basswood, and hun- 
dr:}ds of others, make a mass of glorious forest sce- 
nery, such as I am sure earth cannot surpass. But 
the great rise and fall, and changes of this river, and 
its shores, destroy hundreds of these noble creations 
in a year. Countless numbers we saw along the 
banks, with all their roots exposed, holding but by one 
slight one, which any blast of wind might loosen^ 
when it falls and is washed away. The shores were 
strewed with them in all stages ; many struck down 
in youth, with their young foliage about them 5 others 
in the sere and yellow leaf, while others again stripped 
of leaf and bark, are piled in great ' wreck heaps,' 
where the current has hurled them, or floating down 
the stream, in time to become a snag and lie in wait to 
impale some unconscious vessel. While looking upon 
them in their innocence and beauty, I could not but 
pity their vampire fate, so soon to be transformed into 
malicious snags, to destroy the passing voyager. The 
quantity of yellow clay marl which occurs along the 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 251 

shores, contributes to their destruction, as it easily 
crumbles away. This also gives the peculiar rounded 
form to the Ohio hills, as the marl is washed down, 
giving the hills a smooth round shape. 

At Sandy river, a stream which runs one hundred 

and sixty miles through Virginia, we bade adieu to 

old Kentuck. The rich and fertile plains of Kentucky 

were the favorite hunting grounds of the Aborigines 

of the surrounding regions, as there the buffalo, elk, 

deer, &c. roved in large herds. E:$tremely unwilling 

to surrender it to the white intruders, the Indians 

fought long and bravely for it, and so many severe 

battles took place there, that Kentucky acquired 

among the Indians the name of ' the dark and bloody 

ground.' The inhabitants have long been celebrated 

for their valor. Some of the scenery of Kentucky is 

the most beautiful in the States, and some of the land 

the most fertile. It is four hundred miles lono-, and 

contains twenty-six million acres. The wonderful 

caverns which occur in the limestone formations, you 

have heard of. Population, between six and seven 

hundred thousand. Virginia, the land of the cavaliers, 

and of Pocahontas, looked very inviting, as we sailed 

past it ; her pretty hills lending beauty to every view. 

At Guyandot, we landed a party to visit the Sulphur 

Springs in Virginia, which are now quite fashionable. 

Our springs at Saratoga and Ballston, lose many 

southern and western visitors, since these, and so 

many others have been discovered in those regions. 

July ^^nd. — Off Gallipolis, a town settled by French 
people, who came here to avoid the excesses of the 
revolution. These persons, brought up in a delicate, 



252 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

luxurious manner, were obliged to plunge at once into 
all the hardships of a woodland lifej and suffered 
much ere their houses were erected, and all things in 
order. Upon the opposite shore the Kenawha enters 
the Ohio, after coming from the iron mountain 
in North Carolina, through Kentucky three hundred 
miles. It has dug for itself a deep bed in the lime- 
stone rocks, and upon its banks is the most rugged and 
picturesque scenery in Kentucky. Coal, and salt 
springs abound alQng its shores. The rapids of the 
Ohio came in sight after this, and looked cool and 
pretty, as the water curled and foamed over the ledges 
of rocks and pebbles. The water was very clear and 
we seemed sailing upon the bottom; but being so 
unusually low, our boat, as small as she was, grounded 
several times. In these extremities recourse was had 
to cordelling. A rope was carried ahead by a small 
boat, and fastened to a rock, or anchored; and a wind- 
lass brought the boat up to the rock. After passing 
the rapids, the river becomes shallower and more nar- 
row ; but as our boat only drew twenty inches, we 
succeeded in going on, while some larger ones which 
had accompanied us thus far, were left in the river, or 
at some village. The islands are more frequent, and 
some of them very lovely, mazes of beautiful forest trees 
woven together in natural bowers by pea vines in blos- 
som, scarlet creeper, and many other pretty and new 
plants. The island of the unfortunate Blennarhasset, 
is the largest and loveliest, containing seven hundred 
acres. Throuo^h the circle of forest trees which bor- 
der it, we caught glimpses of the centre which was 
level, and once highly cultivated. Here he created a 
paradise of lawns and groves, and gardens, surrounding 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 253 

a dwelling, the residence of his charming family, to 
which v/ere attached green and hot-houses, libraries 
and music rooms. Ambition has rendered this fair 
spot a desert ; he never rose to the empire which he 
and his tempter, Burr, had hoped to create. After all, 
the saddest part of Herman Blennarhasset's fate is, 
that every tourist who passes the island, must mention 
his name and utter an effecting sentimentality about 
ambition j it seems like dragging him out of his resting 
place, to hear our taunts ; if you travel this way, let 
me beg of you — 

" Breathe not his name, let it sleep in the dust, 
Where cold and unhonored his ashes are laid." 

Parkersburgh at the mouth of the little Kenawha, 
is a quaint old fashioned town in Virginia j em- 
bosomed in hills. Here we intended to land and 
take the mail stage to Winchester, but it had just 
departed, and rather than remain there two days, 
until another stage, we concluded to go on in the 
Agnes to Wheeling. Accordingly we and our trunks 
were again on board, and we resumed our rambles. 
At sunset we stopped, at the town of Marietta, the 
first spot settled in Ohio. Its name was very prettily 
given in honor of the fair and unfortunate Maria 
Antoinette of France 5 in gratitude for the support 
she gave our cause. The town was laid out in 1788. 
The streets are wide, and adorned with forest trees, 
and parks. The houses are solidly built, having each 
its ornamented court and garden. The exchange, 
court-house, college, churches, and other public 
buildings are handsome structures. It is principally 
settled by New Englanders, whose love of good order 

and morality has not been left behind, for the motto 

22 



254 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

upon the town seal pledges their ' support of religion 
and learning. ' Marietta is upon the Muskingum, 
which is between two and three hundred yards wide, 
and navigable for one hundred miles with large boats. 
It is a remarkably pure, healthy, bright stream, ' roll- 
ing its limpid waves over a sandy and pebbly bottom, 
variegated in summer months with the open valves of 
thousands of red and white shells scattered amonsf the 
sand, rivalling in beauty the richest tessellated pave- 
ment of the Romans.' Upon its banks stands Zanes- 
ville, a large and handsome town, and in the county 
through which this river and its branches flow, are 
quantities of iron, coal, salt, limestone, and many 
other useful productions. There are also ancient 
mounds and fortifications upon its shores. Marietta 
appears beautifully as we approach, seated upon an 
elevated bank, at the foot of a range of the picturesque 
Ohio hills. These are about three hundred feet high, 
formed of ' argillacious earth, based upon sandstone.' 
The scenery this afternoon is of a grander cast than 
any we had yet seen upon the Ohio. The hills which 
have generally risen at some distance from the shore, 
now come close down to the water, so that, as we ride 
along we can look far up into their recesses. They 
have the same gracefully regular appearance, except 
that now and then a ledge of sandstone or limestone, 
breaks the smooth green side. 

I have said very little about the cooking and victuals 
upon these western boats. The latter are very good, 
and finer beef, fish, bread, etc., cannot be found any 
where ; the most fastidious palate might here be 
satisfied were it not for one thing — our western breth- 
ren are so fond of fat. Almost every dish of animal 
food is swiming in a greasy liquor. Doubtless I should 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 255 

be used to it in time and like it as well as our young 
southern friend who used to expatiate upon the de- 
lights of hominy and 'possum fat.' However, I can- 
not expect persons, wherever I may choose to travel, 
to shape their table to please me, so I make a point of 
taking things as quietly as if I had ordered every 
thing. I generally succeeded, by declining gravey, 
to obtain a piece tolerably dry, and this, with their 
excellent vegetables, Indian bread, good butter, and 
nice stewed dried peaches, the unfailing accompani- 
ment to every meal, to secure a pleasant and healthful 
repast. Tea and coffee we have met, of all shades 
and varieties, but none so unique as the prairie coffee, 
of which 1 wrote you. The accommodations are 
comfortable, and in the ladies apartment, towels, basins, 
and water enough, and leave to use your own brushes. 
The gentlemen were confined to tin washbowls upon 
deck, but if any one chose to ask, he might always 
have a basin and towel in his cabin. We found noth- 
ing to complain of as serious annoyances, but received 
every attention and politeness from captains and ser- 
vants. 



LETTER XI . 

Wheelikg, Virginia, July 23d. 
Although weary of the constant jar of these high pres- 
sure steamboats, and glad once more to step upon firm 
land, yet, when told Wheeling was in sight, I felt regret 
that I must now turn my back upon the beautiful Ohio 
and the charming western land. I ought not to leave 
the fair State of Ohio without saying a few words to 
give yon an idea of its extent and condition — matters 
which you may perhaps extract from Gazateers your- 
self, but this will save you the trouble. Gazateers and 
tourists guides, however, are of little use in a region 
which so rapidly changes its appearance, and increases 
its population. Where you are directed to remark the 
beauty of a grand forest, you find a large town, and 
where, when the book was written, spread out a fair prai" 
rie, you find a country covered with farm houses, corn- 
fields, fences and orchards. Along the coast of Ohio 
we have sailed over an hundred miles on lake Erie, 
and upon the Ohio river, four hundred miles. From Cin- 
cinnati here, which is all that distance, except twenty 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 257 

or thirty miles we paid tAvelve dollars, six each 5 
which, with board for three days, is not expensive 
travelling. The State of Ohio is nearly square, being 
two hundred and twenty-two miles long by two hun- 
dred broad, and with Indiana and Illinois, are parts of 
a great plain which inclines to the Mississippi, through 
which the rivers have cut their way into their deep 
beds. The geology of these States is very much the 
same, they being based upon that great secondary lime- 
stone formation which reaches from the eastern States 
to the Chippewayan mountains, and from the great 
lakes to the alluvion of the southern States. This is 
doubtless the deposite of the primitive ocean, as it oc- 
curs ' in layers of chrystaline and sedimentary, or in 
broken pieces cemented together.'* It is of all shades, 
from the dark bro^vn ferruginous, to the light grey, the 
blue foetid, the yellow silecious, and magnesian, the ar- 
gillaceous, earthy, chrystaline oolitic, etc. In this 
limestone formation is a variety of fossil shells of 
many species, as the ammonites, spiriferi, encrini, 
producti, corallines, gryphea, madrepores, and va- 
rious others. Its thickness is enormous, for it has 
been penetrated one thousand feet without reachinaj- 
the primitive rocks.f Above this is the sandstone, 
and slate, and clay of the coal measures, and mu- 
riatiferous rocks. These sandstones are generally 
white ash color, or brown ; a very little red has been 
discovered in this valley. One of our western friends, 
who has well studied the geology of that region, was 
of opinion that all the groups of fossiliferous secon- 
dary strata recognized and determined by European 
geologists have not been discovered herej but that 

* Dr. Owen t Hildreth. 

22* 



258 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

they claim the upper new, red sandstone and oolites, 
that have not been subdivided; that above the oolites 
they have unconsolidated strata of great extent and 
thickness, which do not abound in fossils, and have 
not been sufficiently observed to justify and attempt 
to confer names upon them. Several of the groups 
of the European secondary are thought to be wanting 
here. The chalk group is certainly wanting; nor have 
any of the four received divisions of the supercreta- 
ceous, or tertiary, been identified in the western val- 
ley. The older pliocene, and it is thought the newer, 
have been observed in Alabama. The recent plio- 
cene is here established ; the accumulation of gigantic 
fossil remains; of mammalia at Big Bone Lick, Ken- 
tucky ; at Bucyrus, Ohio ; at Pomme de Terre, Mis- 
souri; and at Rocky Spring, near St. Louis, identify 
this group with certainty. The recent pliocene is not 
horizontal, it having been seen fifteen hundred feet or 
more above the level of the sea. Its remains of ele- 
phants, tetracaulidons, and other fossils identical with 
existing genera upon the earth demonstrates its geo- 
logical era to be near us. There are several remark- 
able deposites in Ohio and the surrounding States — 
the sileceous, ferruginous, muriatiferous, and the coal. 
The sileceous deposite, sometimes called 'Flint ridge,' 
runs nearly through the State of Ohio, in a south- 
westerly direction from the Tuscarawas river, to the 
Sciota, near the Ohio. Its greatest width is four or 
five miles, being strewed over the ground in broken 
masses ; beneath the soil ; or, which is its most com^ 
mon situation, upon the tops of the hills; doubtless 
thrown up from the ocean in a fluid and heated state. 
This deposite occurs generally white, but is occa- 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 259 

sionally streaked with various hues, and is compact, 
cellular, and vermicular. The aboriginal inhabitants 
made great use of it for arrow heads ; and the present 
settlers find it very valuable as whet-stones, hones, 
and mill-stones. The latter are thought equal to the 
French buhr stone, and are sold to the amount of 
twenty thousand dollars a year. Those from the depo- 
site upon Raccoon creek, are very celebrated. In this 
silecious material occurs marine shells, beautiful and 
limpid quartz chrystals, veins of chalcedony, sulphate 
of barytes, flint, hornstone, and various other minerals. 

The ferruginous deposite crosses the State from 
north-east to south-west, commencing at the division 
line between Ohio and Pennsylvania, upon lake Erie, 
to the mouth of the Sciota, and thence continues into 
Kentucky, to the Cumberland mountains, its average 
width being from fifteen to twenty miles. The iron 
occurs in several varieties, as a bro^\^^ oxide, an argil- 
laceous ore, pure, highly carbonated ore, etc. Its 
forms are also various; the ore occurring lamellated, 
disseminated in kidney shaped masses, columlar, sta- 
lactitic, cubic, in rhombic fragments, nodules, etc. It 
is extensively worked in many furnaces of Ohio and 
Kentucky. In this iron are marine shells and plants 
of a tropical climate. 

I have spoken of the muriatiferous rocks, and I will 
now pass on to the coal measures. The quantity of 
coal found in these western States is wonderful. The 
valley of the Ohio, and it now appears the valley of 
the Mississippi are imderlaid with coal. The Alle- 
ghany mountains are filled with it 5 at their bases it 
is heaped up in masses, probably of antediluvial vege- 
tation, by the eddies of the currents. These moun- 



260 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

tains seem to divide the anthracite from the bitumi- 
nous coal. There is enough of this article in Ohio 
to last thousands of years, twelve thousand square 
miles being underlaid with it in one grand basin. In 
Indiana, according to Dr. Owen, the coal formation 
occupies seven thousand seven hundred and eighty 
square miles; in Pennsylvania, the bituminous coal 
embraces an area of twenty-one thousand square 
miles; while in the States west of these, coal is found 
in considerable quantities, but it has not been thor- 
oughly examined. The richest deposit of coal in the 
valley of the Ohio, is the basin through which runs 
the Monongahela river ; it is two hundred miles in 
length and one hundred in breadth.* It occurs ex- 
tensively in layers across the hills — that of Coal 
hill at Pittsburg, supplies the city, which it uses in its 
great manufactories. The coal consumed in this city 
and its suburbs is estimated at ' seven millions six 
hundred and sixty=five thousand bushels.' This use- 
ful article is easily procured throughout the west and 
is consequently very cheap, being two, four, or eight 
cents a bushel in different places. The iron and salt 
furnaces, and manufactories of the west owe their 
present flourishing trade to the abundance of this ma- 
terial. This coal is black bituminous generally ; 
burns freely, and in some deposits, forms very good 
coke which is used in the furnaces. In Licking Co., 
Ohio is a deposit of Canal coa], and another in 
Guernsey Co. Beside these interesting minerals 
there are numerous others in the Ohio valley which 
are very valuable ; upon Wills creek Ohio is a deposit 
of fine lias limestone — and there are in the State 

*■ Hildreth. 



A SUMMER JOURKEY IN THE WEST. 261 

various other stones suitable for building, — sandstones 
of fine quality used for architectural purposes, — 
gypsum, lead, copper &c. The coal measures 
abound in organic remains j some of them belonging 
to the tropical palms and ferns are very beautiful and 
perfect. When we see how important these articles 
are to the western land, and how profusely they are 
scattered and how easily obtained, one cannot think 
they are thus arranged by accidental convulsions of 
nature. We know that the greatest coal deposits are 
above the thirtieth degree of latitude, and is not this 
because the inhabitants below this degree do not so 
much require it, while the colder countries would be 
almost deserts without it, so good and beneficient 
is our great Father. You will say I am like the old 
woman who praised the goodness of God for making 
rivers flow by the side of cities. I think there is 
double enjoyment in every gift when we feel it is from 
His compassionate hand. Ohio is one of the finest 
agricultural countries in the world. Her productions 
are justly celebrated for their goodness and quantity. 
Her exports in flour last year is said to be seven million 
five hundred thousand dollars. The land belonor- 
ing to the government sells here, as in the other States 
for one dollar and twenty-five cents an acre. Around 
large towns the owner of the lots asks of course 
more. We must bid Ohio now adieu and look around 
us a little. We were approaching Wheeling when I 
thus digressed. It appears very well from the water ; 
you see a circle of swelling green hills with the 
bright river encircling a large island in the midst. 
The town runs in a long line across the slope of one 
of the hills, while a group of steamboats looking 



262 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

wonderfully like a flock of geese were floating upon 
the water beneath. People are busy taking out coal 
from the hills, and trundling it down a wooden railway 
into the I'essels below. The hills are between two, 
and three hundred feet high ; the coal stretches along 
their face for fifteen miles and then dips into the 
earth. It is a kind valuable for cooking, and some of 
it is beautifully irridescent. The manufactories of 
Wheeling are supplied with it and it is extensively 
sold down the river, at the cost of three cents a bushel 
when delivered to the boat. One million five hun- 
dred thousand bushels of coal are exported from 
Wheeling every year. Wheeling is a second Pitts- 
burg blackened with coal ; while the smoke is rising 
from forge, and furnace, and chimney, in every direc- 
tion. Here we found the best landing of any town 
upon the river, as the steep bank was walled up, and 
we ascended by a long flight of steps. When upon 
the top of the wharf we found ourselves before a 
range of shops and hotels, w^hile before us was the 
' United States,' where we deposited ourselves and 
luggage. After tea we set out for a stroll through 
the town accompanied by a very agreeable party who 
had left the boat with us, the remainder of our pas- 
sengers going on to Pittsburg, about ninety miles 
farther. We had been through so many new towns 
that this looked quite antique, it being settled in 
seventeen hundred and seventy by Col. Zane and his 
brothers, who afterwards founded Zanesville. The 
streets here run along the face of the hill, and con- 
tain many shops, manufactories, a large court-house, 
hotels, banks and dwellings. Among the buildings 
are seven churches, an academy, iron and brass foun- 



A SUMMER JOURKEY IN THE WEST. 263 

deries, flint glass works, paper and saw mills, steam 
engine and machinery works, nail factory, cordage, 
wire floorcloth factories &c. Eight stages arrive and 
depart each day, Sundays excepted, and various steam- 
boats stop here — so if you know of any mechanics or 
trades-people complaining of want of work in your 
crowded city tell them to wend their way hitherward. 
All kind of laborers will find business enough in the 
west. I think a society for exporting over the Alle- 
ghanies the poor European emigrants who are suffer- 
ing in our large cities, would be of great service to 
them and to us. The population we >vere told nearly 
numbered ten thousand. Among the houses we ob- 
served one quite large and handsome j this we were 
told was built by Col. Zane, when the town was first 
settled and his descendants have resided there since. 
He was an active pioneer of the wilderness, and en- 
countered many difiiculties, and fought many battles 
with the Indians ere he was permanently settled in his 
beautiful abode. In these attacks the females of 
Wheeling showed much heroism and took an active 
part in the affray. The little settlement was once 
attacked by three hundred and eighty Indians when 
Col. Zane had with him but thirty-three men, but the 
women shouldered their rifles, joined in the battle and 
did much execution. Once, in despair, the garrison 
inclined to a surrender, but a young girl named Bet- 
sey Wheat, answered them in such an eloquent and 
indignant burst of irony that they rallied and defeated 
the enemy. In a second attack Elizabeth, the sister 
of Col. Zane, saved the fort by bringing into it a quan- 
tity of powder, braving, but passsing unhurt through 
the whizzing balls directed against her by the Indians. 



264 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

Some of the buildings here are of the light sandstone 
of the country- 

July 1'^th. — We were aroused early by the tramp- 
ling of steeds and upon looking out beheld several 
fine stages each having four horses which were soon 
to start upon their different roads. Our breakfast 
over we with the party mentioned above entered a 
large convenient coach and just as the clock struck 
seven left the hotel. Upon reaching the top of the 
hill above the town we looked down upon as fair a 
scene as any we had seen in our travels. The town 
was strewed over the hill below us, while the beauti- 
ful Ohio lay like a circlet of silver around a pretty 
island covered with waving corn and dotted with 
farm-houses, and then glided away in its course win- 
ding among the soft green hills until it disappeared 
behind one of them. The island is Zane's island, con- 
taining three bunded and fifty acres. We had now 
looked our last upon the lovely valley of the Ohio, 
and its beautiful river the Belle riviere of the French, 
and Ohio Peekhanne of the Indian. This valley is 
from the sources of the Ohio to the Mississippi eleven 
hundred miles in length, and nearly three hundred 
miles in breadth. It sweeps down from the Allegha- 
nies at an elevation of two thousand two hundred and 
thirty feet to the Ohio and then ascends gently four 
hundred feet to the ridge which divides its waters 
from those which flow into the gulf of St La^vrence, 
a distance of nearly three hundred miles. Through 
this valley winds in graceful bends the noble Ohio 
eleven hundred miles from its source, and nine hun- 
dred and forty-eight from its junction with the 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 265 

Monongohela at Pittsburg. It divides the valley in 
two unequal portions, having one hundred and sixteen 
thousand square miles upon the south-east side, and 
eighty thousand upon the north-west. This valley en- 
joys a pleasant temperature not too cold to paralyze 
exertion, and not so warm as to enervate. Its soil is 
capable of yielding fruits, vegetables, and grains, of the 
finest quality and in great profusion, and mineral pro- 
ducts of the utmost importance to man j and it is set- 
tled by a free, virtuous, and enlightened people ; add 
to this the scenery is beautiful and varied, and I think 
you will look far to find a region of country uniting so 
many advantages. The dark clouds of slavery which 
shadow its borders is the only spot in its fair horizon. 
The valley of the Ohio is in the centre of a great 
plain, which as the Appalachian chain was elevated 
raised up that portion, and consequently the rivers 
which flow over that division come with more impetu- 
osity and dig for themselves deep trenches in the 
earth. Many who have carefully examined this region 
are of opinion the regular hills which border the Ohio 
and many of its tributaries, are parts of the primitive 
plain, which the streams have worn down into their 
present shapes. Inthisvalley lies that great coal basin 
which is so ably described by Dr. Hildreth in the 
American Journal of Science. It extends over four 
or five degrees of latitude, and as many of longitude. 
A circle drawn from the head waters of the Muskingum 
to the sources of the Alleghany, and from thence 
to those of the Monongohela and Kenawha would 
mark the extent of this deposit, comprising portions 
of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. 

Adieu to the fair Ohio ! It has carried us for nearly 

23 ^ 



266 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

Bine hundred miles in safety upon its bosom, unharmed 
by snag or sawyer ; and I say with Milton, 

" May thy brimmed waves for this, 
Their full tribute never miss, 
From a thousand petty rills, 
That rumble down the snowy hills ; 
Summer drought or singed air, 
Never reach thy tresses fair ; 
Nor wet October's torrent flood, 
Thy molten crystal fill with mud." 

Our day's journey was very delightful. The country 
is rolling, and alternately pretty hill and dale scenery, 
and winding rivulets. The first part of our ride was 
through Virginia, but in a short time at the village of 
Alexandria, we entered Pennsylvania. We drove over 
the national road, which runs from Cumberland, in 
Maryland, and passes through the intervening States 
to Vandalia, Illinois, from whence it is expected to be 
finished to Alton. This is a firm McAdamized road, 
eighty feet broad, carried over mountains, vallies and 
rivers, crossing the latter as well as every ravine and 
depression by well built stone bridges. This very 
useful and well executed work was done by govern- 
ment, at the suggestion of our statesman, Henry Clay. 
We passed a neat farm house, before which stood a 
bronze statue of Clay, placed there by a widow lady, 
owner of the place, in gratitude for the benefit this 
road had produced to her property. We of course 
were in dutybound to admire the statue, while rolling 
so rapidly and smoothly over this excellent road. At 
Vf ashington. Pa., we dined ; a pretty town, having 
three churches, hotels, and shops, with a college, a 
large building, in the centre of pleasant grounds. A 
large court-house, of brick, was in progress. The 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 267 

dinner was good, but plain. The hills which we 
passed in the afternoon, were covered with rich pas- 
ture land, where sheep and cattle were making a fine 
feast. These grassy hills are famous for the ' glade 
butter,' which is celebrated around the country, and 
which we found very sweet and fresh. While de- 
scending the side of one of these hills, we were told 
Brownsville, Pa., was in sight, and looking down, we 
beheld a town in the valley, with the pretty Monon- 
gohela glistening in the bright sun, as it wound its 
way around the hills. Rattling over a fine, strong, 
covered bridge, we stopped to change horses before 
the principal hotel. This is a large manufacturing 
town, containing five thousand inhabitants. Steam- 
boats are here built, and completely fitted up ; and 
when the river is high, they run to Pittsburg, sixty 
miles distant. The hills are high around, abounding 
in bituminous coal, and laid with strata of limestone 
and sandstone. The coal here is very rich. Dark, 
heavy masses, after we had left this place, began to 
appear in the horizon, and we were rejoiced to hear 
they were the celebrated Alleghany mountains. We 
took tea at Uniontown, Pa., at the foot of the chesnut 
ridge, and soon after began to ascend the mountain. 
Our mountain ride was delightful, and when near the 
summit we all descended from the stage coach, to 
enjoy the views. What a glorious thing to stand 
upon the top of a mountain ! How exultingly you 
gaze upon the world below! You feel so proud of 
the great feat you have performed ; you breathe freer j 
the heavens seem nearer and brighter, and the earth — 
but do not let me speak against the earth, for never 
had it looked more enchanting than when looking upon 



268 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

it from the summit of the Alleghanies. The fair 
fields of Pennsylvania, were spread out below, varied 
with herbage of every shade ; with groves and villages, 
and streams, whose waters were tinted with rose from 
the setting sun; around in every direction was a 
green ocean of hill tops, robed in a vesture of purple 
haze. You will smile at my heroics upon the summit 
of so small a mountain as one of the Alleghanies, 
scarcely three thousand feet above the earth, and 
think it better applied to the Chimborazo, Popocatapetl, 
or even Rocky Mountains ; but fortunately, I have 
never been upon higher ground, and enjoy the view 
from the Appalachian range, as much as if I stood 
upon the Nevados of our southern continent, twenty- 
five thousand feet above the sea. Depend upon it, 
those who have seen every thing, who have been 
rowed down the Nile ; climbed the rocks of Petra ; 
worshipped at Jerusalem j toiled up the Himalayas j 
and frozen in Siberia, are no happier than we, who 
have been creeping about the circle of our home. 
To everything you call upon them to admire they 
answer, ' J'aivu ;' they have seen everything. If you 
praise a song, they turn away with scorn and speak 
of the opera at Naples ; if you ask them to visit our 
springs or our cities, they talk of the spa's of Europe, 
of Paris, of London, and Petersburgh. They have 
nothing to do but fold their hands, grumble at the 
present, and live upon the past. 1 have not seen, 
and therefore may be allowed to expatiate upon the 
beauties of the Alleghanies. All that night we 
drove up the hills and down the hills, shut up in the 
stage coach. We were glad of our cloaks, for it was 
very cold, and at every stopping place we found fires. 



A SUMMER JOURKEY IN THE WEST. 269 

althouorh at the foot of the mountains the thermometer 
stood at eighty. We talked merrily at first and kept 
up each others spirits, but towards midnight we grew 
cold and weary, and one after another sank into 
silence. There was much nodding and dozing, but 
little sleeping j for as soon as one fell into a doze 
another was sure to ask you if you could sleep, or 
how you came on, a question sure to put to flight 
your endeavors. At last, hopeless of sleep, we gave 
it up by mutual consent, and tried to amuse each 
other by stories. One of our party was a western 
merchant who had frequently travelled over these 
mountains, and met with numerous adventures. He 
told us of an adventure which befel him twenty years 
since, when the mountains were little travelled, and 
only accessible on horseback. He was carrying a 
large sum of money in his saddle-bags, which he 
feared had been discovered by two ill looking men 
whom he had seen in the tavern where he had stopped 
just at dusk. He for some time felt a little fear, but 
the night had nearly worn away and he had not seen 
any onej when, soon after midnight, as he was pacing 
slowly along, he fancied he caught a glimpse of a man 
standing by the road side just before him. He gazed 
intently through the darkness and saw distinctly two 
men who drew farther out of the moonlight into the 
shade of the trees as he approached. He knew not 
what to do; he was not armed, no house was near, 
and if he left the road he must be lost in the pathless 
woods. Go on he must, and he determined to put 
spurs to his horse and dart past them. He gazed 
forward to see if his path were clear; a deep silence 

reigned around, when * Dismount and give up your 

23* 



270 A SUM3IER JOUR^^EY IN THE WEST. 

money !' resounded like thunder in his ears, echoing 
away among- the silent aisles of the mountain forest. 
Two men were before him ; his v/hip was wrenched 
from his hands ; he was dragged to the ground ; the 
robbers mounted his steed and rode away. 'Well, 
there I was in a pretty fix, anyhow,' he said, ' sitting 
upon a mound of snow all alone, in a wild wood at 
midnight, my two hundred dollars and my horse all 
gone. I might have said with Shakspeare's queen, 
"Here I in sorrow sit,' etc., but I was not in a poet- 
ical mood anyhow. Besides, I could blame no one but 
myself, for I ought to have kept my eye skinned, and 
not have been so blind as not to see the danger of trav- 
elling in wild parts with so much gold. Still, if the 
parts were wild, we had never heard of any robbery 
committed here, and did not expect it.' ' Did you 
ever discover the robbers V we asked. ' Oh, yes ! I 
went back to the village, and every one turned out to 
help me. There was snow on the ground and we 
were thus able to track them. I was forced to go all 
the way to Buffalo, however, ere one was caught by 
the police. He had lived like a prince all along the 
road and spent his share of the money.' ' What 
became of the other man V ' Why, ma'am, as I was 
one day walking through Pratt street, in Baltimore, 
some months after, whom should I meet but my man, 
dressed in the newest style, parading along as proud 
as a prairie cock, with a grand lady upon each arm. 
I knew him, as I had remarked him at the tavern, and 
by the bright moonlight. He also remembered me, 
and when he saw my eye so eagerly fixed upon him, 
without saying good bye to the ladies, or even wait- 
ing upon them home, he scattered at once down the 



A SUMMEK JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 271 

street, and I after him. If you had seen the ladies 
stare ! Away he went, up street, down street, along 
the wharves, in the vessels, out again. At last, think- 
ing he had dodged me, he sprang into an empty hogs- 
head. But I was'nt to be did that way anyhow j so I 
flung a board over the top, and standing on it, clapped 
my arms and crowed in such a tone of triumph, that 
all the cocks in the neighboring yards crowed in con- 
cert. In short my man was treed and imprisoned, but 
my money was gone.' 

July 'ibth. — At day-break I lifted the curtain, and 
by the uncertain light of dawn, beheld at my side a 
wide river, whose opposite shores were green and 
hilly. ' Are we over the mountains already X What 
river can this be V I asked. With a smile, one of the 
party informed me we were on the summit of a high 
mountain, and the deep valley filled with mist, with 
the opposite summits for a shore, made my river. A 
bright sun soon dispersed the mist, and we were never 
tired of the variety of views we beheld upon every 
hand. That the mountains are not very high adds to 
the beauty of the scene ; their heads are not lost in 
the clouds, and we frequently see the whole mass at 
once. While descending one Alleghany we beheld 
another before us, like a high green wall reaching to 
the heavens, while a line across the summit showed 
the road we were to travel; so high and precipitous it 
seemed, that we wondered how we ever should reach 
the road. Descending again this ridge, we gazed out 
over a great extent of country, or down into deep 
valleys, brightened by winding streams, while trees, 
and flowers, and vines of every tint and form, adorned 



272 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

the path. The laurels were out of bloom, but their 
deep green glossy leaves shone out contmually from 
the foliage. The chesnut was also frequent; these 
two giving names to the two ridges we had passed, 
Laurel and Chesnut ridges. We also remarked the 
pretty striped maple, whose green bark is striped 
with black. This is sometimes called moose wood, 
as the moose-deer always seeks with avidity its tender 
leaves and bark. The box elder also occurs upon these 
slopes, with the holly, and varieties of the magnolia, 
the turpelo, gum tree, besides noble forests of many 
other trees. The road although leading over moun- 
tain ridges and passes, is not a lonely one, as stages 
loaded with passengers, were continualy passing, and 
huge Pennsylvanian waggons with the large Normandy 
horses, high collar, and jingling a bell to give notice 
of their approach. The women of the country we 
often met upon horseback, sitting upon their gaily 
embroidered saddles. The fine broad smooth National 
road over which we were passing enabled the drivers 
to keep their horses upon a very quick trot. I 
am fond of rapid driving, but sometimes it made me 
rather nervous to dash at the rate of eight miles an 
hour, within two feet of a precipice down which we 
looked upon the tops of trees a thousand feet below. 
There is, however, very little danger, as where the 
descent is steep, the driver can, in a moment, by 
putting his foot upon a spring at his side, cramp the 
wheel, and check our speed. After ascending a high 
mountain, we found a tavern, whose sign bore the 
hospitable words ' Welcome from the west.' We were 
much pleased with this kind reception, until upon 
looking back, perceived upon the other side of the 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 273 

sign ' welcome from the east.' I wish the good lady 
who erected a statue to Clay, would place a monument 
upon the Alleghanies, to commemorate honest Daniel 
Boon, who claims to be the first who discovered the 
fair western plains. Sir Alexander Spotswood, a 
governor of Virginia, penetrated part of the way 
through the mountains. There was no National road 
then, and the hills were almost impassable. To stimu- 
late discovery, he instituted the order of the golden 
horse-shoe, for those who could pass the Blue Ridge. 
He was anxious to counteract the influence of the 
French upon the Mississippi. There should also be a 
statue to good old Father Marquette, upon the shore 
of Lake Michigan, as, before him, no white man had 
penetrated farther in the wilderness. He persevered 
and discovered the Mississippi. We passed several 
towns, as Smythfield, Petersburg, Frostburg, Cumber- 
land, &c. This last town is in Maryland, upon a 
branch of the Potomac, one hundred and forty miles 
from Baltimore. The scenery around it is beautiful. 
It lies in a valley, through which glistens the Poto- 
mac river, surrounded by mountains. We reached it 
this morning, after descending a slope which seemed 
to rise one mass of rocks above us. The town has 
several large hotels, a college, court-house, and many 
shops. We stopped here to change horses. Here 
commences the transition formations, the Appalachian 
range, dividing the transition from the secondary for- 
mations of the western valley. So clear and distinct 
is this division, that the celebrated geologist, Dr. 
Aikin, fixed upon the ground between Cumberland and 
Hancock, forty miles distant, as the spot where the 
Appalachian chain emerged from beneath, upheaved 



274 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

by igneous action. The mountain vvhieh we descended 
to Cumberland, is called the Alleghany by pre-emi- 
nence, it being the highest elevation, and is the ridge 
which divides the waters which flow into the Ohio, 
from thos(3 which reach the Atlantic. The rocks which 
we had observed upon our road, were the usual lime- 
stone, marl, and conglomerates of the west, mixed 
with much bituminous coal, while now we remarked 
with them, grey wacke and transition slates. The Bal- 
timore and Ohio railroad will pass through Cumber- 
land, and the Chesapeake and Ohio canal. Here also 
the National commences, and we there left it, but found 
a very good one which continued, with some failures, 
during the day. We din^d at Pine Grove, a small 
village. Near the hotel is a sulphur spring, which we 
were obliged to taste, to gratify the landlord, and 
which was as nauseous as one could desire. This 
afternoon we passed some very pretty mountain sce- 
nery ; none so high as those we had left behind, for 
we were only upon the steps which lead down from 
the ridge to the plains below. From Sidling Hill we 
looked down into a large valley surrounded by a circle 
of hills, through which a river winding its way formed 
several islands. In the centre, was a high rounded 
knoll covered with fields of ripened grain, its bright 
yellow contrasting well with the dark woods which 
surround it. They have a curious way here of laying 
the grain when cut, in squares or circles, which looks 
very pretty at a distance. We took tea at Hancock, 
a town upon the banks of the Potomac. The Chesa- 
peake and Ohio canal is finished as far as this place. 
We were but little over half way to Baltimore here, 
having come, we were told, one hundred and sixty 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 275 

miles from Wheeling. Another night was passed in 
the stage, only varied by occasional stoppages to 
change horses. About day-break we stopped at Ha- 
garstown, a very large, thriving place, containing 
churches, academies, and many handsome private 
dwellings. The hotel Avhich we entered while the 
horses were changed, was large, and seemed very com- 
modious. After leaving it, we found the valley in 
which it stands, was very highly cultivated. It is 
underlaid with a dark blue limestone j the soil is very 
rich, and the wheat which it produces, is sent to Bal- 
timore, and highly esteemed. We saw some of this 
limestone which occasionally cropped out ; veins of 
calcareous spar crossed the blue, in some instances. 
Quartz pebbles, and large nodules were spread over 
the country for miles, between this town and Frederic, 
as if a storm of enormous bail had spent its fury 
over the land. Rounded pieces, as large as a man's 
fist, and white as milk, lay against the fences, or were 
piled up by the husbandman. The county to Frederic 
is very pretty, undulating, cultivated, and well settled, 
while dark masses in the distant horizon told us our 
pretty mountains were far behind us. 

July. 2Qtk. — At eleven o'clock, we reached Frederick 
city, where we breakfasted. This is a very pretty 
city, having an air of antiquity ; as we now had ar- 
rived in an old settled country, and the newly painted 
towns were giving place to what are called old, although 
not what an European would deem aged. I was 
almost too sleepy to see much of it, but as we rat- 
tled over paved streets, and looked upon rows of 
houses, we seemed quite at home again. 



276 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

We bade adieu to the stage-coach, and after a good 
breakfast, entered the rail-road car, and were whirled 
along with a rapidity which was frightful, after our 
stage-coach pace. TLe cars were handsomely fin- 
ished, having an apartment appropriated to the ladies, 
where reclining upon the blue satin sofas we relieved 
our cramped limbs. The country, between Frederick 
and Baltimore, is very pretty. 1 think it is about 
sixty miles from the one place to the other. We 
passed many good houses, surrounded with fine farms, 
having the shining Monocasy river, winding among 
them. We crossed this and the Petapsco, over 
several bridges. The latter river flows between high 
banks of granite. Fifteen miles, from Baltimore, are 
the celebrated Ellicots mills, built of the granite of 
the cliffs, upon which they stand , where is ground 
the excellent Baltimore flour, raised from the fertile 
country around Frederick and Hagarstown. Some of 
the deep cuts of the rail-road seem to be through a mass 
of debris, of all colours, red, white, and blue, mixed 
with talcose slale, aud blue limestone, until near Balti- 
more, when we entered that granitic belt, which 
stretched through the Atlantic, border to Georgia, and 
which is supposed once to have been the original 
Atlantic coast, before the band of alluvion was formed. 
After passing many fanciful country seats, and the fine 
viaduct which leads to Washington, we beheld Balti- 
more, an enormous mass of brick and stone lying 
upon the shore of Petapsco bay. Our western friends 
were delighted and surprised at the sight of so large 
a city while driving through the street. We arrived 
at Barnham's large and elegant hotel just as they were 
eating dinner. We had infringed upon our Sabbath 



A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 277 

thus far, without intending it, as we were told we 
should arrive in Baltimore in time for morning ser- 
vices. In the afternoon and evening, however, there 
was opportunity of joining in public worship, which 
my husband and some of the party embraced, leaving 
us, the weaker part, at home to rest. 

July 11 th. — As we did not leave Baltimore until 
half-past nine, we were enabled to see much of it. 
Its monuments to Washington, and to the heroes of 
the last war, are handsome, and the fountain with its 
cool canopy of shadowy elms, pretty ; its churches 
and public buildings very good, but as you are so well 
acquainted with it, I will not trouble you with any 
details. We entered the rail-road car at half-past 
nine, and reached New York at eleven that night, a 
distance of two hundred miles, for which we paid 
eight dollars each. Several long bridges carried us 
over Bush creek, Gunpowder river, and the noble Sus- 
quehanna. Our western friends, who had been boast- 
ing of their great rivers, seemed surprised at the little 
use we made of them in travelling. ' It seems,' said 
our fair Missouri lady, ' rivers here are of no conse- 
quence — indeed, are in the way, as you make bridges 
and drive over them.' 

At one o'clock we reached Wilmington, the capitol 
of Delaware. This State was a Swedish settlement^ 
named by Gustavus Adolphus, Nova vSuecia, since 
which time, Dutch, English and Americans, have suc- 
cessively owed it. 

We dined at Wilmington, and then hastening on, 
passed through Chester, and a rich lev'el country, to 
the beautiful city of Philadelphia. Leaving our rail- 



278 A SUMMER JOURNEY IN THE WEST. 

road at the depot, we drove through the whole length 
of the city, where, at five o'clock, we entered the 
cars again, turned our faces towards New York, which 
we reached, as 1 said, at eleven o'clock, the road 
being along the Delaware, and through some rich 
farms, with elegant mansions and huge Pennsylvania 
barns ; through Bristol and Trenton, in New Jersey, 
when darkness spread over the land and we saw no 
more. And now farewell to the 

" Land of the west J green forest land." 



THE END, 



^"^0 9 6 6^ 



